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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $654 in Tetouan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $970 in Tetouan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,287 in Tetouan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 98% more than Tetouan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tetouan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Tetouan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.26 MAD 30.04

259.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.97 MAD 175

119.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.16 MAD 65.9

48.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.73 MAD 15.90

103.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.66 MAD 6.05

128.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.33 MAD 3.00

193.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.68 MAD 24.72

10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.24 MAD 29.79

37.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.87 MAD 8.01

58.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.25 MAD 2.28

656.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.55 MAD 14.24

5.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.80 MAD 16.60

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.65 MAD 42.78

79.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.58 MAD 51.3

49.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.45 MAD 96.2

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.24 MAD 11.45

109.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.30 MAD 11.97

12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.72 MAD 6.65

163.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.75 MAD 6.90

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.65 MAD 5.99

173.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.67 MAD 6.17

226.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.45 MAD 4.17

131.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.65 MAD 5.95

66.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.04 MAD 37.15

0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.91 MAD 82.0

15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.75 MAD 16.07

-2.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.06 MAD 18.92

25.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.47 MAD 4.29

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$13.34 MAD 123

98.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.53 MAD 4.88

515.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.07 MAD 9.85

132.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$3.42 MAD 31.53

-4.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.56 MAD 14.36

-16.03%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$37.1K MAD 341.5K

-18.36%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.5K MAD 225.2K

-4.23%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$42.41 MAD 390

95.40%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.21 MAD 94.0

117.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$40.02 MAD 368

-26.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$14.08 MAD 130

266.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.55 MAD 116

45.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.87 MAD 35.63

31.01%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$44.65 MAD 411

349.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,150 MAD 47.4K

1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$19.27 MAD 177

91.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$46.66 MAD 430

-14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$59.5 MAD 548

31.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$68.9 MAD 634

26.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$217 MAD 1,999

347.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$183 MAD 1,687

155.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$478 MAD 4,404

243.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$273 MAD 2,517

346.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,160 MAD 10.7K

240.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$807 MAD 7,425

705.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$429 MAD 3,953

54.62%

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 Tetouan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $217 in Tetouan. 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 55% 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 $19.00 in Tetouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $162 – making Tetouan 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 Tetouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 98%, 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 $981 in Tetouan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tetouan, 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 $654 in Tetouan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 98% less in Tetouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tetouan, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tetouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tetouan – 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 Tetouan. 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.