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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $619 in Safi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $948 in Safi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,277 in Safi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 103% more than Safi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Safi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Safi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.95 MAD 36.93

203.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$16.24 MAD 152

157.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.70 MAD 43.97

128.72%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.96 MAD 18.32

78.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.62 MAD 5.81

133.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.32 MAD 2.97

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.65 MAD 15.46

78.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.66 MAD 15.50

171.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.87 MAD 8.09

64.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.50 MAD 4.72

268.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.53 MAD 14.32

2.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.87 MAD 17.53

34.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.39 MAD 69.2

12.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.81 MAD 63.7

23.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.58 MAD 89.6

11.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.27 MAD 11.90

105.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.20 MAD 11.21

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.77 MAD 7.20

154.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.71 MAD 6.68

194.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.67 MAD 6.30

176.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.70 MAD 6.54

210.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.42 MAD 3.93

145.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.64 MAD 5.98

67.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.13 MAD 38.69

-0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.63 MAD 71.4

33.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.98 MAD 18.56

-15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.94 MAD 18.13

30.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.51 MAD 4.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$10.85 MAD 102

140.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.53 MAD 4.97

509.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.51 MAD 4.81

372.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.62 MAD 62.0

-51.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.59 MAD 14.86

-16.98%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$36.8K MAD 344.3K

-19.29%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$30.0K MAD 280.4K

-21.03%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$29.16 MAD 273

181.24%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$11.26 MAD 105

103.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$40.37 MAD 378

-25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$21.73 MAD 203

139.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.56 MAD 52.0

233.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.94 MAD 36.86

26.40%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$160 MAD 1,497

23.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,729 MAD 34.9K

43.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$42.18 MAD 395

-15.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$36.17 MAD 338

11.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$98.5 MAD 921

-20.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$38.95 MAD 364

128.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$245 MAD 2,296

285.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$141 MAD 1,317

236.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$454 MAD 4,248

262.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$240 MAD 2,247

404.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$920 MAD 8,605

341.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$561 MAD 5,250

1053.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$458 MAD 4,283

42.85%

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 Safi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $245 in Safi. 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 43% 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 $16.00 in Safi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $174 – making Safi 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 Safi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 103%, 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 $928 in Safi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Safi, 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 $619 in Safi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 140% less in Safi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Safi, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Safi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Safi – 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 Safi. 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.