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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $574 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $918 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,261 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 121% more than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ouarzazate are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ouarzazate 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.60 MAD 42.51

158.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$10.93 MAD 101

292.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.41 MAD 40.77

141.50%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.08 MAD 10.01

219.44%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.45 MAD 4.19

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.35 MAD 3.27

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.81 MAD 25.95

7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.78 MAD 25.76

65.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.82 MAD 7.61

68.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.54 MAD 4.95

242.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.45 MAD 13.40

11.03%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.61 MAD 14.87

60.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.89 MAD 73.0

4.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.23 MAD 39.09

97.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.74 MAD 62.3

58.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.95 MAD 8.83

176.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.35 MAD 12.45

10.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.68 MAD 6.30

182.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.73 MAD 6.73

186.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.68 MAD 6.29

173.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.43 MAD 3.94

425.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.21 MAD 1.93

404.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.64 MAD 5.91

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.29 MAD 39.67

-3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.24 MAD 76.3

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.71 MAD 25.11

-36.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.03 MAD 28.00

-13.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.51 MAD 4.74

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$16.21 MAD 150

66.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.56 MAD 5.20

458.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.52 MAD 4.77

382.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.81 MAD 25.99

12.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.51 MAD 13.99

-15.89%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.6K MAD 338.7K

-17.05%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$29.8K MAD 276.0K

-21.00%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$32.38 MAD 300

156.33%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$5.21 MAD 48.23

335.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$24.37 MAD 225

20.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$15.28 MAD 141

233.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$23.53 MAD 218

-22.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.86 MAD 35.68

27.72%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$77.0 MAD 712

156.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,225 MAD 57.6K

-15.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$38.32 MAD 355

-3.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$50.7 MAD 469

-21.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$49.24 MAD 456

62.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$65.5 MAD 606

36.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$242 MAD 2,242

294.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$130 MAD 1,204

266.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$509 MAD 4,711

223.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$301 MAD 2,783

307.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,568 MAD 14.5K

149.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$944 MAD 8,730

584.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.75

140.42%

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 Ouarzazate: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $242 in Ouarzazate. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Ouarzazate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $158 – making Ouarzazate the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ouarzazate: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $574 in Ouarzazate – roughly 121% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $861 in Ouarzazate. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouarzazate, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $77.0 in Ouarzazate. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ouarzazate, where all-in costs run around $574, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ouarzazate it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $574 in Ouarzazate to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ouarzazate. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.