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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $666 in Settat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,026 in Settat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,386 in Settat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 94% more than Settat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Settat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Settat 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.20 MAD 29.90

265.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$32.56 MAD 305

43.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.56 MAD 61.4

77.59%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.15 MAD 10.75

255.65%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.47 MAD 4.40

191.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.38 MAD 3.52

118.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.27 MAD 11.88

163.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$1.65 MAD 15.44

318.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.89 MAD 8.36

94.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.86 MAD 8.06

162.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.62 MAD 15.18

9.26%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.00 MAD 18.68

36.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.03 MAD 75.1

14.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.48 MAD 51.3

62.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.02 MAD 112

4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.68 MAD 15.76

79.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.49 MAD 13.92

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$0.99 MAD 9.26

115.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$0.77 MAD 7.24

193.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.75 MAD 7.00

166.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.81 MAD 7.53

154.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.26 MAD 2.44

353.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.52 MAD 4.88

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.32 MAD 40.43

7.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$8.21 MAD 76.8

30.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.31 MAD 21.63

-29.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$3.45 MAD 32.30

-16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.42 MAD 3.91

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$10.60 MAD 99.2

181.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.79 MAD 7.35

589.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.68 MAD 6.34

444.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$7.37 MAD 69.0

-18.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.57 MAD 14.73

-1.27%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$35.2K MAD 328.9K

-36.49%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$30.5K MAD 285.4K

-14.94%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$21.41 MAD 200

316.30%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$5.45 MAD 51.0

359.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$37.95 MAD 355

-17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$19.52 MAD 183

247.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$10.78 MAD 101

168.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$6.66 MAD 62.3

-24.17%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$106 MAD 991

112.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$8,646 MAD 80.9K

-51.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$32.76 MAD 306

44.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$47.54 MAD 445

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$84.4 MAD 790

-2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$87.5 MAD 818

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$219 MAD 2,046

388.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$162 MAD 1,514

150.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$870 MAD 8,138

122.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$235 MAD 2,197

453.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$220 MAD 2,054

241.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.5

227.14%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Settat: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $219 in Settat. 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 241% 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 $33.00 in Settat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $191 – making Settat 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 Settat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 94%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $999 in Settat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Settat, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $666 in Settat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% less in Settat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Settat, where all-in costs run around $666, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Settat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Settat – 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 Settat. 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.