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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $600 in Safi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $933 in Safi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,266 in Safi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% more than Safi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Safi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Safi 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.24 MAD 30.70

258.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$21.04 MAD 200

123.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.86 MAD 46.10

144.44%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.56 MAD 14.83

155.13%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.61 MAD 5.81

134.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.37 MAD 3.55

121.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.55 MAD 14.71

105.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.60 MAD 15.21

324.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.88 MAD 8.39

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.47 MAD 4.46

368.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.59 MAD 15.11

7.55%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.82 MAD 17.23

50.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.14 MAD 67.7

34.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.55 MAD 62.1

37.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.88 MAD 84.2

44.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.19 MAD 11.28

142.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.13 MAD 10.67

32.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.84 MAD 7.94

155.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.72 MAD 6.83

213.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.62 MAD 5.85

219.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.77 MAD 7.29

158.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.41 MAD 3.92

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.59 MAD 5.58

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.94 MAD 37.37

15.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.70 MAD 73.0

34.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.98 MAD 18.75

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.86 MAD 17.68

54.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.45 MAD 4.25

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$10.44 MAD 99.0

175.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.69 MAD 6.50

681.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.54 MAD 5.16

590.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$6.49 MAD 61.5

-11.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.51 MAD 14.29

1.99%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$34.8K MAD 329.9K

-35.18%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$32.3K MAD 306.1K

-19.27%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$35.87 MAD 340

154.75%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$10.28 MAD 97.5

145.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$33.79 MAD 320

-7.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$19.18 MAD 182

250.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$5.26 MAD 49.87

453.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.79 MAD 35.97

28.23%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$99.4 MAD 942

125.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,665 MAD 34.8K

15.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$39.95 MAD 379

17.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$34.76 MAD 330

27.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$89.9 MAD 852

-10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$36.39 MAD 345

154.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$293 MAD 2,782

262.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$140 MAD 1,324

179.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$477 MAD 4,524

350.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$248 MAD 2,349

413.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$918 MAD 8,702

336.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$571 MAD 5,416

1038.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$457 MAD 4,332

65.98%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Safi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $293 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 66% 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 $21.00 in Safi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $169 – 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 111%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $900 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $600 in Safi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 176% 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 $600, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.