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 $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $651 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $971 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,291 in Sidi Kacem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 87% 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 9% lower, Sidi Kacem 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$198

$2.98 MAD 29.74

268.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$811

$17.82 MAD 178

151.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$216

$8.14 MAD 81.3

46.44%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.8

$1.77 MAD 17.64

114.69%

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

$1.31 MX$23.71

$0.72 MAD 7.18

81.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.48

$0.33 MAD 3.25

160.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$58.0

$2.66 MAD 26.59

20.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.6

$3.16 MAD 31.51

58.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.36

$0.76 MAD 7.60

92.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$42.06

$0.27 MAD 2.70

762.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.07

$1.47 MAD 14.65

-2.04%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.50

$1.67 MAD 16.64

47.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$139

$5.74 MAD 57.4

34.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$143

$3.78 MAD 37.70

108.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$231

$8.79 MAD 87.8

45.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.7

$1.38 MAD 13.83

111.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.70

$1.46 MAD 14.62

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.37

$0.84 MAD 8.34

205.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.63

$0.58 MAD 5.83

268.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.19

$0.60 MAD 5.96

225.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.00

$0.45 MAD 4.54

331.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.80

$0.32 MAD 3.22

259.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.07

$0.58 MAD 5.82

110.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$79.1

$3.40 MAD 33.92

28.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$178

$6.25 MAD 62.4

57.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.79

$1.71 MAD 17.12

-9.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.08

$1.68 MAD 16.76

61.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.49

$0.53 MAD 5.24

-1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$496

$18.95 MAD 189

44.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.8

$0.71 MAD 7.06

591.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.7

$1.12 MAD 11.21

214.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$103

$3.32 MAD 33.14

71.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.84

$1.22 MAD 12.16

26.23%

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

$21.2K MX$383.9K

$34.5K MAD 344.5K

-38.45%

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

$24.5K MX$442.6K

$31.0K MAD 309.7K

-21.05%

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

$83.6 MX$1,511

$43.86 MAD 438

90.63%

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

$24.03 MX$434

$10.70 MAD 107

124.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$530

$40.77 MAD 407

-28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,172

$25.83 MAD 258

151.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$532

$21.23 MAD 212

38.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.9

$3.81 MAD 38.05

33.60%

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

$208 MX$3,754

$47.09 MAD 470

341.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

$5,739 MAD 57.3K

-29.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$805

$18.01 MAD 180

147.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$760

$47.38 MAD 473

-11.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,365

$54.7 MAD 546

38.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,652

$66.8 MAD 667

36.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.8K

$269 MAD 2,681

267.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,962

$169 MAD 1,691

127.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.0K

$474 MAD 4,734

261.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.0K

$266 MAD 2,658

316.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.6K

$1,175 MAD 11.7K

241.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.9K

$828 MAD 8,270

654.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.5

108.18%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Last update for Sidi Kacem: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Sidi Kacem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $143 – 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 87%, 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 $1,823 per month in Playa del Carmen and $977 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 $1,215 in Playa del Carmen and $651 in Sidi Kacem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% 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 $651, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. 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.