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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $722 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,140 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,558 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 80% more than Sidi Slimane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sidi Slimane are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sidi Slimane 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.23 MAD 38.99

177.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$23.87 MAD 220

74.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.82 MAD 62.8

56.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$1.67 MAD 15.35

110.78%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.58 MAD 5.36

160.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.36 MAD 3.28

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.78 MAD 34.83

-21.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.73 MAD 34.39

19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$0.84 MAD 7.74

64.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.52 MAD 4.79

263.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.70 MAD 15.67

-3.53%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.01 MAD 18.54

24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.97 MAD 91.8

-16.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.16 MAD 56.8

35.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$10.97 MAD 101

-2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.35 MAD 12.41

92.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.29 MAD 11.90

13.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$0.76 MAD 7.01

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.79 MAD 7.23

163.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.67 MAD 6.21

165.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.76 MAD 7.04

188.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.42 MAD 3.90

147.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.62 MAD 5.71

74.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$4.15 MAD 38.26

-1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.88 MAD 81.8

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.69 MAD 24.81

-36.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.88 MAD 26.53

-10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.51 MAD 4.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$16.66 MAD 153

58.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.58 MAD 5.35

462.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.48 MAD 4.41

418.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$4.48 MAD 41.30

-27.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.52 MAD 13.99

-13.82%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$37.7K MAD 346.8K

-19.59%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$29.2K MAD 268.5K

-19.63%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$35.89 MAD 331

130.90%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.12 MAD 102

99.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$39.13 MAD 360

-25.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$23.97 MAD 221

115.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.15 MAD 213

-20.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$6.72 MAD 61.9

-24.55%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$106 MAD 978

89.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,513 MAD 32.4K

48.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$38.89 MAD 358

-5.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$40.73 MAD 375

-2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$88.2 MAD 813

-11.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$72.1 MAD 664

20.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$276 MAD 2,541

252.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$176 MAD 1,625

165.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$513 MAD 4,722

220.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$303 MAD 2,795

302.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$1,542 MAD 14.2K

155.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$915 MAD 8,428

610.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.78

138.91%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sidi Slimane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $276 in Sidi Slimane. 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 $24.00 in Sidi Slimane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $193 – making Sidi Slimane 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 Slimane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 80%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,083 in Sidi Slimane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sidi Slimane, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $722 in Sidi Slimane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Sidi Slimane. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sidi Slimane, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Sidi Slimane 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 Slimane – 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 Slimane. 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.