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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $672 in Msaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,076 in Msaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,480 in Msaken.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 87% more expensive than in Msaken, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Msaken 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.01 TND 14.66

139.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$23.30 TND 68.2

79.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.97 TND 14.55

116.30%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.02 TND 2.99

243.14%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.70 TND 2.04

107.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.29 TND 0.84

203.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.22 TND 3.58

141.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.64 TND 7.71

70.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.50 TND 1.47

186.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.16 TND 0.46

1050.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.30 TND 3.80

20.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.67 TND 4.90

50.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.14 TND 35.51

-31.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.19 TND 18.10

36.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.04 TND 41.09

-23.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.00 TND 5.87

30.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$3.15 TND 9.21

-54.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.16 TND 3.40

68.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.75 TND 2.19

178.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.71 TND 2.07

160.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.58 TND 1.70

274.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.43 TND 1.27

139.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.31 TND 0.91

245.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.29 TND 9.64

24.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.02 TND 17.60

68.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.15 TND 3.36

46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.40 TND 4.09

80.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.35 TND 1.03

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$10.00 TND 29.25

160.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.31 TND 0.91

941.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.33 TND 0.97

630.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.49 TND 10.21

-7.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.87 TND 2.55

51.72%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$41.2K TND 120.5K

-27.90%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.6K TND 104.1K

-33.47%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$57.8 TND 169

41.81%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.77 TND 28.58

134.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$18.81 TND 55.1

60.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.44 TND 68.6

121.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$12.89 TND 37.71

43.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.50 TND 16.09

-9.45%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$106 TND 312

85.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,182 TND 9,309

67.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$42.28 TND 124

-15.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$61.4 TND 180

-34.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$102 TND 298

-22.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$79.1 TND 231

12.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$195 TND 571

385.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$133 TND 389

256.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$381 TND 1,116

330.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$269 TND 788

349.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,043 TND 3,053

288.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$632 TND 1,849

923.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$245 TND 716

167.29%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Msaken: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $195 in Msaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 167% 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 $23.00 in Msaken for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $195 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 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 167% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $947 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 160% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 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 $672 in Msaken versus $1,256 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 87% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.