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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $571 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $922 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,273 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 125% more than Ouarzazate, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ouarzazate are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ouarzazate 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.75 MAD 43.92

151.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$11.07 MAD 102

286.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.45 MAD 41.20

137.98%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.07 MAD 9.89

238.32%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.46 MAD 4.27

219.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.33 MAD 3.01

184.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.67 MAD 24.72

15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.67 MAD 24.73

67.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.81 MAD 7.47

76.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.53 MAD 4.92

254.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.52 MAD 14.10

7.24%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.63 MAD 15.11

61.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.81 MAD 72.3

5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.00 MAD 37.00

107.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.68 MAD 61.8

66.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.92 MAD 8.49

188.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.38 MAD 12.76

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.64 MAD 5.94

210.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.69 MAD 6.35

201.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.64 MAD 5.91

179.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.46 MAD 4.27

373.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.21 MAD 1.94

414.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.62 MAD 5.76

67.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.30 MAD 39.75

-7.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.98 MAD 73.8

27.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.70 MAD 24.99

-35.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.93 MAD 27.10

-14.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.51 MAD 4.68

1.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$16.15 MAD 149

67.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.57 MAD 5.27

450.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.48 MAD 4.41

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$2.70 MAD 25.02

14.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.57 MAD 14.48

-19.11%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$37.2K MAD 344.3K

-17.03%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$30.3K MAD 280.3K

-23.05%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$32.25 MAD 298

154.29%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$5.32 MAD 49.17

321.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$24.24 MAD 224

22.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$15.54 MAD 144

233.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$23.07 MAD 213

-19.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.92 MAD 36.23

26.79%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$76.2 MAD 705

159.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,286 MAD 58.1K

-16.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$39.02 MAD 361

-6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$49.86 MAD 461

-19.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$48.44 MAD 448

64.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$65.1 MAD 602

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$243 MAD 2,249

296.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$133 MAD 1,232

249.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$509 MAD 4,706

213.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$308 MAD 2,849

292.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,599 MAD 14.8K

146.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$941 MAD 8,703

585.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 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: $251 vs $155 – 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $571 in Ouarzazate – roughly 125% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $856 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $76.2 in Ouarzazate. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% 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 $571, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $571 in Ouarzazate to $1,287 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.