Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $799 in Mohammedia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,377 in Mohammedia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,956 in Mohammedia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 59% more expensive than Mohammedia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Mohammedia 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$4.44 MAD 41.10
167.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$29.83 MAD 276
43.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$6.97 MAD 64.5
52.80%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$1.81 MAD 16.75
90.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$0.72 MAD 6.69
108.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.38 MAD 3.52
150.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$3.75 MAD 34.70
-19.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$4.36 MAD 40.34
5.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$0.99 MAD 9.20
39.39%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$0.86 MAD 7.97
115.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$2.01 MAD 18.63
-19.90%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$2.24 MAD 20.76
15.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$11.28 MAD 104
-26.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$6.92 MAD 64.0
20.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$11.58 MAD 107
-7.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$1.56 MAD 14.46
68.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$1.41 MAD 13.07
5.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$0.77 MAD 7.11
149.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$0.87 MAD 8.09
140.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$0.77 MAD 7.10
141.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$0.80 MAD 7.36
182.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$0.51 MAD 4.71
107.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.64 MAD 5.95
70.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$4.43 MAD 41.00
-6.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$8.00 MAD 74.0
29.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$2.89 MAD 26.76
-40.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$3.21 MAD 29.68
-18.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.69 MAD 6.40
-21.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
$16.56 MAD 153
62.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$0.73 MAD 6.78
328.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$0.59 MAD 5.43
325.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$5.35 MAD 49.51
-41.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.61 MAD 14.90
-21.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$36.9K MAD 341.6K
-17.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$27.3K MAD 252.8K
-13.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$49.23 MAD 455
68.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$11.24 MAD 104
102.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$39.59 MAD 366
-25.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$27.51 MAD 254
85.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$23.48 MAD 217
-21.93%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$8.80 MAD 81.4
-43.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$152 MAD 1,409
29.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$5,489 MAD 50.8K
-3.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$51.0 MAD 471
-27.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$52.7 MAD 488
-24.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$112 MAD 1,039
-28.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$86.7 MAD 802
3.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$270 MAD 2,494
254.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$177 MAD 1,639
169.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$512 MAD 4,740
221.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$521 MAD 4,821
135.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$1,637 MAD 15.1K
139.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
$1,041 MAD 9,631
520.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Mohammedia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
$587 MAD 5,426
13.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
4.35
162.53%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mohammedia: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $270 in Mohammedia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 14% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Mohammedia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $213 per month, with Mohammedia cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Playa del Carmen vs Mohammedia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia?
Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,271 vs $799 including rent). Mohammedia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Playa del Carmen or Mohammedia?
Playa del Carmen pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $270 in Mohammedia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mohammedia – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $799 in Mohammedia versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mohammedia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mohammedia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Playa del Carmen or Mohammedia safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Mohammedia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Playa del Carmen or Mohammedia?
Expats usually find Mohammedia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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