Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oued Zem Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oued Zem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $783 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,295 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,808 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Oued Zem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Oued Zem are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Oued Zem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.63 MAD 42.81

156.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$49.13 MAD 454

-12.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.81 MAD 63.0

56.39%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.04 MAD 18.87

69.12%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.58 MAD 5.35

158.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.41 MAD 3.77

131.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.38 MAD 49.78

-43.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.05 MAD 37.46

13.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.89 MAD 8.21

55.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.50 MAD 4.65

270.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.87 MAD 17.30

-13.90%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.02 MAD 18.73

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.04 MAD 121

-36.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.95 MAD 64.3

20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.61 MAD 107

-8.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.60 MAD 14.78

64.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.39 MAD 12.89

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.78 MAD 7.23

146.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.86 MAD 7.96

143.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.72 MAD 6.70

158.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.69 MAD 6.39

227.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.39 MAD 3.65

171.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.58 MAD 5.38

87.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.40 MAD 40.70

-5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.73 MAD 71.5

34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.43 MAD 22.48

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.47 MAD 4.38

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$16.59 MAD 153

62.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.56 MAD 5.22

458.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.88 MAD 8.11

185.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.33 MAD 40.08

-27.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.53 MAD 14.16

-16.99%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$36.5K MAD 338.0K

-16.88%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$29.0K MAD 268.1K

-18.69%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$41.67 MAD 385

99.18%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$10.86 MAD 100

109.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$39.64 MAD 367

-25.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.97 MAD 222

112.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$23.10 MAD 214

-20.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$6.76 MAD 62.5

-27.07%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$160 MAD 1,480

23.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,473 MAD 59.9K

-18.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$53.4 MAD 494

-30.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$47.87 MAD 443

-16.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$106 MAD 979

-24.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$101 MAD 931

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$279 MAD 2,584

242.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$176 MAD 1,632

170.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$509 MAD 4,707

223.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$307 MAD 2,841

298.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,380 MAD 12.8K

183.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,050 MAD 9,710

515.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$246 MAD 2,274

171.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.81

137.42%

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 Oued Zem: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $279 in Oued Zem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 171% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Oued Zem. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $208 in Oued Zem – so Oued Zem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $783 in Oued Zem – roughly 62% 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 $1,174 in Oued Zem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $783 in Oued Zem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Oued Zem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oued Zem, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Oued Zem 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 $783 in Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem. 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.