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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $725 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,135 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,545 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 78% 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 3% lower, Sidi Kacem 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.36 MAD 40.31

169.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$30.02 MAD 277

39.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.97 MAD 64.4

49.35%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.74 MAD 16.04

107.47%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.71 MAD 6.56

105.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.35 MAD 3.24

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$3.91 MAD 36.08

-25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.32 MAD 30.69

39.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.81 MAD 7.45

76.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.69 MAD 6.38

175.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.12 MAD 10.39

40.18%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.27 MAD 20.95

16.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$8.65 MAD 79.9

-2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.75 MAD 34.68

128.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.55 MAD 69.8

45.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$0.65 MAD 5.99

315.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.85 MAD 7.83

77.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$0.57 MAD 5.25

235.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.58 MAD 5.31

274.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.42 MAD 3.90

345.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.32 MAD 2.92

596.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.21 MAD 1.94

414.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.64 MAD 5.94

67.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.68 MAD 24.74

55.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$6.32 MAD 58.4

62.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.47 MAD 13.62

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.35 MAD 30.91

-24.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.51 MAD 4.67

7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$16.28 MAD 150

61.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.53 MAD 4.93

503.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.52 MAD 4.82

373.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$4.51 MAD 41.65

-29.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.36 MAD 12.55

-2.94%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$37.1K MAD 342.8K

-18.74%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$23.6K MAD 217.9K

-0.82%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$84.1 MAD 776

-3.21%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$11.29 MAD 104

98.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$39.53 MAD 365

-24.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$24.49 MAD 226

110.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$23.28 MAD 215

-21.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$7.37 MAD 68.1

-29.99%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$98.9 MAD 914

104.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$6,536 MAD 60.4K

-18.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$30.49 MAD 282

16.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$45.32 MAD 419

-10.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$89.8 MAD 830

-12.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$82.8 MAD 765

4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$275 MAD 2,541

245.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$176 MAD 1,625

171.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$512 MAD 4,727

216.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$303 MAD 2,795

304.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,522 MAD 14.1K

163.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,035 MAD 9,566

525.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $275 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 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 78%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,088 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $725 in Sidi Kacem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% 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 $725, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.