Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sidi Kacem Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sidi Kacem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $729 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,141 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,552 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sidi Kacem are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sidi Kacem 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.41 MAD 40.83

170.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$30.53 MAD 282

40.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.06 MAD 65.3

50.00%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.73 MAD 16.03

109.25%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.71 MAD 6.59

107.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.33 MAD 3.01

184.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.78 MAD 34.94

-18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.30 MAD 30.54

35.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.80 MAD 7.40

78.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.64 MAD 5.90

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.08 MAD 9.99

50.93%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.25 MAD 20.78

17.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.80 MAD 81.4

-6.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.76 MAD 34.79

120.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.86 MAD 72.7

41.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.64 MAD 5.96

314.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.84 MAD 7.74

78.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.54 MAD 4.98

268.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.54 MAD 4.96

285.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.46 MAD 4.21

289.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.32 MAD 2.92

581.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.23 MAD 2.13

369.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.60 MAD 5.58

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.65 MAD 24.53

49.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.43 MAD 59.5

58.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.54 MAD 14.27

12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.27 MAD 30.26

-23.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.48 MAD 4.41

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$16.60 MAD 154

62.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.56 MAD 5.19

460.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.49 MAD 4.51

389.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.26 MAD 39.42

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.34 MAD 12.40

-5.22%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$36.7K MAD 339.3K

-15.81%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.9K MAD 221.2K

-2.51%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$83.3 MAD 771

-1.57%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$11.19 MAD 103

100.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$38.97 MAD 361

-23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$24.43 MAD 226

112.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$23.11 MAD 214

-19.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.27 MAD 67.2

-31.64%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$98.4 MAD 910

101.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,527 MAD 60.4K

-19.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$31.21 MAD 289

16.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$46.27 MAD 428

-13.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$89.7 MAD 830

-10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$83.8 MAD 775

6.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$276 MAD 2,555

248.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$174 MAD 1,609

167.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$502 MAD 4,647

217.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$303 MAD 2,807

298.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,564 MAD 14.5K

151.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$854 MAD 7,896

655.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.35

162.53%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $276 in Sidi Kacem. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $147 – making Sidi Kacem 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 Sidi Kacem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,094 in Sidi Kacem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Kacem, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $729 in Sidi Kacem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Sidi Kacem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Kacem, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sidi Kacem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sidi Kacem – 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 Sidi Kacem. 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.