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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $681 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,012 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,342 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 95% more than Sidi Kacem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sidi Kacem are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sidi Kacem 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$3.17 MAD 29.31

310.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$19.24 MAD 178

140.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$8.85 MAD 81.8

42.26%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$1.85 MAD 17.08

116.22%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.78 MAD 7.17

82.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.33 MAD 3.07

145.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.78 MAD 25.65

9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$3.20 MAD 29.52

113.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$0.79 MAD 7.26

116.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.28 MAD 2.62

692.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.53 MAD 14.16

12.42%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.79 MAD 16.55

51.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$5.93 MAD 54.8

58.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$3.96 MAD 36.62

123.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$9.11 MAD 84.1

40.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.38 MAD 12.70

126.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.50 MAD 13.89

3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$0.94 MAD 8.64

128.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.62 MAD 5.72

279.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.57 MAD 5.30

254.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.48 MAD 4.43

314.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.33 MAD 3.05

275.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.61 MAD 5.65

95.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$3.59 MAD 33.13

29.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$6.49 MAD 60.0

61.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.84 MAD 17.03

-14.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.71 MAD 15.82

70.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.52 MAD 4.80

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$19.26 MAD 178

54.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.72 MAD 6.67

638.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.13 MAD 10.45

229.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$3.53 MAD 32.62

63.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.27 MAD 11.75

22.05%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$35.5K MAD 328.2K

-37.05%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$31.6K MAD 291.8K

-19.07%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$45.83 MAD 423

94.81%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$11.23 MAD 104

107.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$42.96 MAD 397

-26.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$26.95 MAD 249

155.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$18.77 MAD 173

56.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$3.80 MAD 35.13

33.16%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$49.79 MAD 460

346.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$5,983 MAD 55.3K

-28.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$18.31 MAD 169

152.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$48.58 MAD 449

-8.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$57.9 MAD 535

64.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$68.9 MAD 636

34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$263 MAD 2,427

306.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$170 MAD 1,572

130.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$451 MAD 4,166

340.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$249 MAD 2,297

424.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,127 MAD 10.4K

258.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$898 MAD 8,291

638.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.5

110.91%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $149 – 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 95%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,022 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $681 in Sidi Kacem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 55% 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 $681, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.