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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $856 in Tangier, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,344 in Tangier, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,832 in Tangier, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Tangier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tangier are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tangier 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.40 MAD 41.05

166.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$30.04 MAD 280

39.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.18 MAD 67.0

46.38%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.72 MAD 16.05

108.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.72 MAD 6.73

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.35 MAD 3.31

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.87 MAD 36.11

-23.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.26 MAD 30.35

35.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.99 MAD 9.28

41.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.83 MAD 7.71

126.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.77 MAD 16.50

-11.86%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.26 MAD 21.04

15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.78 MAD 91.2

-14.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.81 MAD 63.5

22.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.32 MAD 115

-11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.29 MAD 12.04

110.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.44 MAD 13.42

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.76 MAD 7.08

146.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.79 MAD 7.32

177.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.65 MAD 6.07

186.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.67 MAD 6.28

232.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.54 MAD 5.07

98.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.65 MAD 6.04

67.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.41 MAD 41.15

-4.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$9.73 MAD 90.7

7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.25 MAD 30.28

-48.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.37 MAD 31.45

-22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.43 MAD 3.99

25.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$16.34 MAD 152

60.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.57 MAD 5.29

440.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.52 MAD 4.87

361.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$9.62 MAD 89.7

-67.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.53 MAD 14.24

-14.38%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.5K MAD 349.5K

-20.48%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$24.4K MAD 227.5K

-4.43%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$83.8 MAD 782

-3.05%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$11.25 MAD 105

100.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$39.39 MAD 367

-23.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$28.15 MAD 263

87.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$38.46 MAD 359

-52.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.39 MAD 68.9

-33.42%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$101 MAD 938

99.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,397 MAD 59.6K

-19.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$30.58 MAD 285

17.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$45.99 MAD 429

-12.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$89.8 MAD 837

-11.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$82.0 MAD 765

5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$453 MAD 4,222

115.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$238 MAD 2,217

97.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$882 MAD 8,221

87.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$442 MAD 4,122

172.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,787 MAD 16.7K

121.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,219 MAD 11.4K

442.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$526 MAD 4,903

28.68%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tangier: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $453 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 29% 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: $252 vs $212 – 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 47%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,284 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $856 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 $856, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.