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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $670 in Msaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,077 in Msaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,483 in Msaken.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 93% more expensive than Msaken, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Msaken 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.96 TND 14.42

136.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$24.14 TND 70.1

72.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.06 TND 14.69

110.28%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.02 TND 2.97

245.10%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.69 TND 2.02

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.29 TND 0.84

234.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.17 TND 3.41

152.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.76 TND 8.01

61.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.49 TND 1.43

181.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.17 TND 0.48

1011.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.29 TND 3.75

27.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.67 TND 4.86

50.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.06 TND 35.00

-30.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.33 TND 18.37

31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.76 TND 39.95

-22.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.09 TND 6.06

24.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$3.20 TND 9.30

-54.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.12 TND 3.26

69.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.75 TND 2.19

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.70 TND 2.02

154.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.59 TND 1.71

271.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.40 TND 1.17

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.29 TND 0.84

272.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.43 TND 9.96

18.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.93 TND 17.23

74.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.15 TND 3.35

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.33 TND 3.86

93.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.35 TND 1.03

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$9.97 TND 28.96

165.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.31 TND 0.89

951.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.31 TND 0.89

703.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.49 TND 10.14

-6.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.88 TND 2.56

48.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$40.0K TND 116.1K

-24.28%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.9K TND 104.1K

-34.68%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.9 MX$1,433

$58.2 TND 169

42.31%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.22 MX$384

$9.99 TND 28.99

122.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$18.91 TND 54.9

55.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.79 TND 69.1

117.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.54 TND 36.42

46.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.32 TND 15.44

-4.70%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$201 MX$3,473

$106 TND 308

89.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,137 TND 9,109

66.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$41.07 TND 119

-10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$60.7 TND 176

-34.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$101 TND 293

-22.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$79.2 TND 230

9.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$195 TND 566

399.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$136 TND 395

243.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$373 TND 1,083

339.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$269 TND 780

354.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$987 TND 2,866

299.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$715 TND 2,076

808.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$248 TND 719

168.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.96

4.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Msaken: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $195 in Msaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 168% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $24.00 in Msaken for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $194 per month, with Msaken 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 Msaken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Msaken is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 168% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $195 in Msaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Msaken runs roughly 165% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Msaken. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $670 in Msaken versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Msaken but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Msaken the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Msaken is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Msaken are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Msaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.