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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $790 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,321 in Oued Zem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,851 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 59% 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 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$4.73 MAD 44.34

147.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$50.2 MAD 471

-16.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$6.53 MAD 61.3

60.95%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.04 MAD 19.17

75.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.63 MAD 5.90

139.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.37 MAD 3.48

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$5.62 MAD 52.7

-47.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$4.06 MAD 38.05

8.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.82 MAD 7.66

70.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.47 MAD 4.42

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.96 MAD 18.42

-20.41%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.93 MAD 18.13

35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$13.18 MAD 124

-36.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.90 MAD 64.7

21.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.99 MAD 113

-9.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.58 MAD 14.87

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.44 MAD 13.51

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.82 MAD 7.65

128.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.86 MAD 8.08

154.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.67 MAD 6.29

177.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.67 MAD 6.27

232.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.42 MAD 3.96

154.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.60 MAD 5.60

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$4.44 MAD 41.71

-5.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$7.70 MAD 72.3

35.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.62 MAD 24.60

-36.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.55 MAD 23.94

2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.50 MAD 4.72

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$16.19 MAD 152

61.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.53 MAD 4.99

481.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.89 MAD 8.32

169.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$4.50 MAD 42.22

-30.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.58 MAD 14.79

-17.09%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$37.0K MAD 347.0K

-19.41%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$29.2K MAD 273.8K

-20.07%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$40.97 MAD 384

98.39%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$11.09 MAD 104

103.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$39.78 MAD 373

-24.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$24.64 MAD 231

114.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$23.14 MAD 217

-20.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$6.56 MAD 61.6

-25.00%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$160 MAD 1,505

25.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,381 MAD 59.9K

-18.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$53.1 MAD 498

-32.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$47.44 MAD 445

-15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$107 MAD 1,005

-25.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$98.8 MAD 927

-12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$286 MAD 2,684

241.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$176 MAD 1,655

166.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$514 MAD 4,819

221.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$310 MAD 2,910

288.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,165 MAD 10.9K

239.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$932 MAD 8,745

608.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$246 MAD 2,311

174.70%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 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 175% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Oued Zem. Groceries tell a different story – $252 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $790 in Oued Zem – roughly 59% 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 $1,186 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $790 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 $790, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $790 in Oued Zem 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 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.