Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rabat Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rabat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $911 in Rabat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,576 in Rabat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,240 in Rabat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% more than Rabat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rabat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Rabat 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.73 MAD 44.09

153.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$731

$48.72 MAD 454

-14.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$188

$6.67 MAD 62.2

61.17%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.1

$2.04 MAD 19.02

71.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.33

$0.63 MAD 5.86

130.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.47

$0.41 MAD 3.78

114.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

$5.63 MAD 52.5

-47.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.9

$4.17 MAD 38.93

8.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.04

$0.86 MAD 8.06

66.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.13

$0.47 MAD 4.36

291.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.42

$1.87 MAD 17.43

-16.04%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.92

$1.92 MAD 17.94

30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$12.96 MAD 121

-36.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.15 MAD 66.7

17.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$11.93 MAD 111

-10.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

$1.55 MAD 14.42

68.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

$1.44 MAD 13.40

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

$0.82 MAD 7.67

139.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.62

$0.79 MAD 7.37

164.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.37

$0.72 MAD 6.68

156.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.90

$0.70 MAD 6.49

210.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$0.42 MAD 3.95

145.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$0.64 MAD 5.92

67.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

$4.39 MAD 40.92

-6.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$7.66 MAD 71.4

32.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

$2.71 MAD 25.29

-38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

$2.45 MAD 22.83

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.53 MAD 4.93

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

$27.66 MAD 258

-5.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$0.53 MAD 4.92

509.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.06

$0.88 MAD 8.23

173.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

$4.33 MAD 40.34

-25.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.10

$1.52 MAD 14.22

-13.16%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

$37.3K MAD 348.0K

-20.44%

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

$29.6K MAD 276.0K

-20.06%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$41.99 MAD 392

95.31%

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

$22.95 MX$401

$10.87 MAD 101

111.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$527

$39.97 MAD 373

-24.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

$30.61 MAD 285

69.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

$28.43 MAD 265

-34.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.0

$6.49 MAD 60.5

-23.27%

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

$197 MX$3,452

$160 MAD 1,490

23.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.3K

$6,628 MAD 61.8K

-19.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

$53.7 MAD 501

-33.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$49.14 MAD 458

-17.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

$109 MAD 1,015

-27.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$98.0 MAD 914

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$459 MAD 4,279

106.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

$259 MAD 2,414

83.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.7K

$1,120 MAD 10.4K

46.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$746 MAD 6,955

62.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

$2,090 MAD 19.5K

94.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

$1,204 MAD 11.2K

437.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$739 MAD 6,891

-11.51%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Rabat: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $459 in Rabat. 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 13% higher in Rabat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Rabat. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $209 in Rabat – so Rabat 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 Rabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,366 in Rabat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rabat, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $911 in Rabat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Rabat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rabat, where all-in costs run around $911, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Rabat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Rabat. 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.