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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $718 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,136 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,554 in Sidi Slimane, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% 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 6% lower, Sidi Slimane 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.07 MAD 38.06

194.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$23.10 MAD 216

80.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.58 MAD 61.6

63.37%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.70 MAD 15.93

105.88%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.59 MAD 5.48

145.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.32 MAD 3.03

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.90 MAD 36.52

-24.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.58 MAD 33.46

25.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.89 MAD 8.32

60.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.49 MAD 4.61

275.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.78 MAD 16.66

-11.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.93 MAD 18.09

30.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.84 MAD 92.1

-15.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.07 MAD 56.8

38.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.89 MAD 102

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.39 MAD 13.04

87.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.31 MAD 12.25

9.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.81 MAD 7.61

141.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.81 MAD 7.55

158.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.73 MAD 6.85

153.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.76 MAD 7.12

185.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.43 MAD 3.98

139.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.60 MAD 5.61

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.27 MAD 39.96

-3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.70 MAD 72.0

32.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.72 MAD 25.47

-38.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.87 MAD 26.88

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.50 MAD 4.69

2.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$16.40 MAD 153

58.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.59 MAD 5.52

447.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.48 MAD 4.45

402.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.43 MAD 41.50

-27.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.54 MAD 14.37

-14.29%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$37.1K MAD 346.9K

-19.90%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$29.2K MAD 273.0K

-18.89%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$36.78 MAD 344

122.97%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$10.85 MAD 102

111.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$38.94 MAD 364

-22.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$24.14 MAD 226

115.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$23.35 MAD 218

-20.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$6.69 MAD 62.6

-25.56%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$105 MAD 984

87.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,586 MAD 33.6K

48.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$39.30 MAD 368

-9.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$40.99 MAD 384

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$87.4 MAD 818

-9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$71.9 MAD 673

23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$279 MAD 2,613

239.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$175 MAD 1,638

170.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$511 MAD 4,780

221.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$301 MAD 2,818

301.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,240 MAD 11.6K

227.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$912 MAD 8,537

609.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$267 MAD 2,494

145.34%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sidi Slimane: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $279 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.

Salaries run about 145% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Sidi Slimane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $191 – 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 75%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,078 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $718 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 $718, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.