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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $763 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,250 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,737 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% 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 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.19 MAD 39.41

185.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$45.68 MAD 429

3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.52 MAD 70.6

56.25%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.01 MAD 18.89

104.98%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.65 MAD 6.07

115.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.36 MAD 3.34

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.26 MAD 49.40

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.24 MAD 30.49

118.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.92 MAD 8.65

82.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.66 MAD 6.17

225.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.94 MAD 18.22

-8.76%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.00 MAD 18.79

41.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.01 MAD 113

-23.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.66 MAD 62.6

38.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$12.66 MAD 119

-0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.64 MAD 15.40

79.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.47 MAD 13.81

7.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.88 MAD 8.28

152.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.93 MAD 8.74

153.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.76 MAD 7.11

161.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.78 MAD 7.30

153.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.41 MAD 3.90

202.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.61 MAD 5.77

98.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.25 MAD 39.96

8.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.73 MAD 72.6

36.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.71 MAD 25.46

-37.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.80 MAD 26.33

-1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.55 MAD 5.14

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$19.29 MAD 181

53.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.74 MAD 6.94

608.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.91 MAD 8.54

301.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$4.42 MAD 41.57

30.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.60 MAD 15.00

-3.75%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$36.0K MAD 337.9K

-36.58%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$32.8K MAD 308.4K

-21.36%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$36.54 MAD 343

148.14%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$10.49 MAD 98.6

140.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$33.61 MAD 316

-5.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$26.79 MAD 252

156.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.97 MAD 206

33.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.27 MAD 58.9

-22.49%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$190 MAD 1,782

19.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,178 MAD 67.5K

-41.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$50.7 MAD 476

-6.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$45.58 MAD 428

-4.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$93.3 MAD 877

-14.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$70.5 MAD 663

29.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$272 MAD 2,558

298.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$172 MAD 1,612

138.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$489 MAD 4,591

303.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$271 MAD 2,548

372.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,242 MAD 11.7K

225.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$863 MAD 8,114

676.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$249 MAD 2,343

210.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.52

153.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $272 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 210% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Oued Zem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $211 – making Oued Zem 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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $763 in Oued Zem – roughly 71% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,144 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $763 in Oued Zem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $763, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $763 in Oued Zem to $1,305 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.