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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,900 per month in Rabat vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,823 per month in Rabat vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,747 per month in Rabat vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rabat costs about 51% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Rabat sits 42% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.41

$11.99 MX$209

46.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €60.8

$41.78 MX$728

66.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.94

$10.75 MX$187

5.58%

Cappuccino

$2.37 €2.08

$3.50 MX$60.9

-32.29%

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

$2.65 €2.32

$1.45 MX$25.22

82.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.88 MX$15.41

101.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.46 €3.03

$2.95 MX$51.3

17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 €3.10

$4.51 MX$78.6

-21.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €1.00

$1.43 MX$24.94

-20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.84 MX$31.99

-32.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.97

$1.57 MX$27.31

43.31%

Eggs

$3.76 €3.29

$2.51 MX$43.74

49.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 €9.07

$8.28 MX$144

25.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 €7.26

$8.43 MX$147

-1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.38 €16.97

$10.68 MX$186

81.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 €3.90

$2.61 MX$45.43

70.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 €2.07

$1.44 MX$25.04

63.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.95

$1.96 MX$34.16

71.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 €2.01

$2.09 MX$36.47

10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.85 MX$32.24

-38.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 €1.05

$2.17 MX$37.74

-45.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.03 MX$17.96

15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.07 MX$18.70

11.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.63 €5.81

$4.10 MX$71.4

61.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 €7.24

$10.17 MX$177

-18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 €1.64

$1.68 MX$29.17

11.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.98

$2.53 MX$43.98

-10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.60

$0.51 MX$8.87

482.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.20

$3.23 MX$56.3

83.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 €3.72

$2.41 MX$41.88

76.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.49 €43.34

$3.23 MX$56.2

1432.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.32 MX$23.00

14.39%

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

$38.8K €34.0K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

30.75%

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

$38.1K €33.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

61.14%

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

$92.8 €81.3

$82.0 MX$1,428

13.16%

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

$12.79 €11.21

$22.95 MX$400

-44.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.68 €39.13

$30.11 MX$524

48.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 €60.6

$52.0 MX$905

33.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 €30.62

$18.53 MX$323

88.72%

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 €9.07

$4.98 MX$86.6

108.03%

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

$430 €376

$197 MX$3,438

117.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K €9,591

$5,336 MX$92.9K

105.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 €79.4

$35.60 MX$620

154.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.70 €25.13

$40.33 MX$702

-28.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 €65.3

$78.8 MX$1,371

-5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 €87.9

$88.9 MX$1,549

12.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,152 €1,009

$947 MX$16.5K

21.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 €816

$474 MX$8,254

96.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 €1,746

$1,644 MX$28.6K

21.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 €1,344

$1,211 MX$21.1K

26.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,061 €3,556

$4,056 MX$70.6K

0.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,107 €2,721

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-51.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 €1,196

$654 MX$11.4K

108.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.2

11.42

-71.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rabat: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,152 in Rabat versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 109% higher in Rabat, 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 $69.0 in Rabat versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Rabat vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rabat is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,850 per month in Rabat and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,900 in Rabat and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $430 per month in Rabat and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Rabat at $1,900. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rabat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rabat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.