Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tangier Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Tangier

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $874 in Tangier, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,341 in Tangier, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,808 in Tangier, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Tangier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tangier are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tangier 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.43 MAD 40.68

164.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$30.25 MAD 278

37.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.23 MAD 66.5

47.16%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.72 MAD 15.77

104.65%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.70 MAD 6.47

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.33 MAD 3.00

193.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.94 MAD 36.20

-25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.31 MAD 30.39

34.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.05 MAD 9.65

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.88 MAD 8.04

114.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.68 MAD 15.47

-2.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.19 MAD 20.15

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.24 MAD 94.1

-18.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.86 MAD 63.1

21.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.55 MAD 115

-14.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.30 MAD 11.92

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.36 MAD 12.49

7.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.76 MAD 6.95

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.79 MAD 7.28

163.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.68 MAD 6.26

161.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.70 MAD 6.46

212.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.54 MAD 4.92

92.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.60 MAD 5.53

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.50 MAD 41.38

-9.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.61 MAD 88.3

7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.25 MAD 29.90

-47.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.26 MAD 29.95

-20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.45 MAD 4.16

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$16.55 MAD 152

59.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.52 MAD 4.82

526.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.48 MAD 4.39

418.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.97 MAD 91.6

-67.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.62 MAD 14.85

-19.14%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$37.4K MAD 343.5K

-18.99%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$23.6K MAD 217.1K

-0.84%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$82.7 MAD 760

0.21%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.28 MAD 104

96.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$39.92 MAD 367

-26.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$28.60 MAD 263

80.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$39.05 MAD 359

-53.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.52 MAD 69.1

-32.58%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$96.9 MAD 890

107.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,455 MAD 59.3K

-19.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$31.68 MAD 291

16.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$45.40 MAD 417

-12.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$86.9 MAD 799

-9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$83.9 MAD 771

3.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$440 MAD 4,047

120.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$237 MAD 2,182

97.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$881 MAD 8,092

86.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$441 MAD 4,048

177.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,884 MAD 17.3K

109.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,255 MAD 11.5K

417.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$521 MAD 4,791

27.37%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Tangier: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $440 in Tangier. 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 27% 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 $30.00 in Tangier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $214 – making Tangier 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 Tangier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 48%, 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 $1,310 in Tangier. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tangier, 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 $874 in Tangier. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 60% less in Tangier. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tangier, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tangier it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tangier – 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 Tangier. 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.