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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $611 in Safi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $958 in Safi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,305 in Safi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 112% more than Safi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Safi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Safi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.76 MAD 34.55

211.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$16.53 MAD 152

151.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.64 MAD 42.64

129.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.96 MAD 17.99

79.59%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.61 MAD 5.62

147.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 MAD 2.88

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.67 MAD 15.35

76.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.62 MAD 14.84

174.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.83 MAD 7.63

66.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.47 MAD 4.29

302.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.49 MAD 13.65

10.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.92 MAD 17.61

30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.10 MAD 65.2

17.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.91 MAD 63.6

20.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.50 MAD 87.3

12.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.21 MAD 11.13

114.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.24 MAD 11.41

17.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.83 MAD 7.64

128.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.71 MAD 6.52

192.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.64 MAD 5.92

178.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.66 MAD 6.08

231.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.43 MAD 3.93

141.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.60 MAD 5.47

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.09 MAD 37.56

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$7.98 MAD 73.3

29.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.03 MAD 18.67

-15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.91 MAD 17.55

35.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.47 MAD 4.32

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$10.79 MAD 99.1

145.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.58 MAD 5.29

462.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.48 MAD 4.43

418.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.39 MAD 58.7

-49.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.58 MAD 14.50

-17.09%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$37.9K MAD 348.0K

-20.04%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$29.6K MAD 271.8K

-20.77%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$29.75 MAD 273

178.55%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.93 MAD 100

103.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$40.66 MAD 374

-27.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$21.84 MAD 201

136.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.39 MAD 49.50

239.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.87 MAD 35.54

31.01%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$160 MAD 1,467

25.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

38.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$41.95 MAD 386

-11.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.23 MAD 324

12.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$97.1 MAD 892

-19.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$38.73 MAD 356

124.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$241 MAD 2,214

303.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$138 MAD 1,267

239.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$453 MAD 4,163

262.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$237 MAD 2,176

415.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$946 MAD 8,695

317.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$592 MAD 5,440

997.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$463 MAD 4,251

43.53%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Safi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 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 44% 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 $17.00 in Safi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $173 – 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 112%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $917 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $611 in Safi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 145% 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 $611, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.