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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $568 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $907 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,245 in Ouarzazate, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 122% 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

$11.72 MX$203

$4.78 MAD 44.60

145.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$10.98 MAD 102

281.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.50 MAD 41.97

133.56%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.07 MAD 10.00

235.51%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.42 MAD 3.92

259.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.36 MAD 3.32

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.82 MAD 26.28

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.69 MAD 25.07

63.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.77 MAD 7.20

81.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.56 MAD 5.24

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.45 MAD 13.55

7.59%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.66 MAD 15.46

57.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.83 MAD 73.0

6.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.15 MAD 38.65

101.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.54 MAD 61.0

66.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.97 MAD 9.08

179.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.39 MAD 12.95

8.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.63 MAD 5.85

196.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.68 MAD 6.33

222.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.64 MAD 5.98

190.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.46 MAD 4.28

384.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.23 MAD 2.15

365.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.60 MAD 5.57

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.29 MAD 40.01

-2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.20 MAD 76.5

27.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.61 MAD 24.38

-36.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.05 MAD 28.43

-14.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.47 MAD 4.41

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$16.20 MAD 151

61.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.54 MAD 5.03

470.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.51 MAD 4.76

370.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$2.78 MAD 25.89

12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.52 MAD 14.17

-13.82%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.9K MAD 353.2K

-21.31%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.5K MAD 275.3K

-21.01%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$32.17 MAD 300

152.66%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$5.41 MAD 50.5

317.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$25.05 MAD 234

19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$15.08 MAD 141

250.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$23.53 MAD 219

-21.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.82 MAD 35.60

28.80%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$75.8 MAD 707

164.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,303 MAD 58.8K

-17.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$38.89 MAD 363

-7.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$50.6 MAD 471

-20.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$50.2 MAD 468

58.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$67.0 MAD 625

29.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$251 MAD 2,343

289.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$130 MAD 1,208

263.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$502 MAD 4,676

229.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$309 MAD 2,880

289.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,231 MAD 11.5K

221.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$896 MAD 8,359

637.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ouarzazate: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $251 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Ouarzazate. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $568 in Ouarzazate – roughly 122% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $852 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $75.8 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 $568, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $568 in Ouarzazate to $1,260 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.