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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $660 in Tetouan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $983 in Tetouan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,306 in Tetouan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 90% more than Tetouan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tetouan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tetouan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.24 MAD 30.17

270.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$19.15 MAD 179

118.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.14 MAD 66.6

50.56%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.64 MAD 15.33

113.41%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.66 MAD 6.18

119.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.35 MAD 3.30

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.72 MAD 25.33

8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.26 MAD 30.36

38.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.88 MAD 8.21

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.27 MAD 2.54

581.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.61 MAD 14.99

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.81 MAD 16.85

38.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.47 MAD 41.66

85.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.37 MAD 50.1

56.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.50 MAD 97.9

1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.29 MAD 11.98

102.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.37 MAD 12.78

5.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.77 MAD 7.18

154.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.79 MAD 7.37

164.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.64 MAD 5.96

189.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.72 MAD 6.75

201.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.46 MAD 4.30

123.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.64 MAD 5.97

67.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$4.03 MAD 37.54

1.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.61 MAD 80.3

18.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.82 MAD 16.94

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.08 MAD 19.37

21.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.47 MAD 4.39

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$13.34 MAD 124

95.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.57 MAD 5.36

466.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.02 MAD 9.48

136.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.55 MAD 33.09

-9.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.55 MAD 14.42

-14.84%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$36.7K MAD 341.8K

-18.99%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$24.0K MAD 224.0K

-1.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$42.68 MAD 398

92.15%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$10.03 MAD 93.5

128.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$39.41 MAD 367

-23.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$13.93 MAD 130

273.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$12.53 MAD 117

47.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.00 MAD 37.30

24.50%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$44.72 MAD 417

341.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$5,154 MAD 48.1K

3.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$18.54 MAD 173

92.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$46.91 MAD 437

-14.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$58.1 MAD 542

35.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$70.8 MAD 660

25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$218 MAD 2,035

333.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$186 MAD 1,737

154.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$470 MAD 4,379

250.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$275 MAD 2,569

339.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,106 MAD 10.3K

266.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$783 MAD 7,304

725.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$425 MAD 3,963

53.87%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Tetouan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $218 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 54% 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 90%, 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 $990 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $660 in Tetouan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 95% 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 $660, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.