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 $908 per month in Rabat vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,593 per month in Rabat vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,279 per month in Rabat vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rabat is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rabat and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 32% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 MAD 42.54

$11.73 MX$203

-60.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.79 MAD 448

$41.62 MX$720

17.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MAD 62.5

$10.64 MX$184

-36.09%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.04

$3.52 MX$60.9

-44.32%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.61

$1.51 MX$26.12

-59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.48

$0.97 MX$16.84

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 MAD 50.2

$2.95 MX$51.0

85.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 MAD 38.67

$4.45 MX$77.0

-5.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 7.51

$1.38 MX$23.93

-40.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 MAD 4.40

$1.89 MX$32.72

-74.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 MAD 18.11

$1.64 MX$28.32

20.12%

Eggs

$1.93 MAD 17.76

$2.51 MX$43.34

-23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.17 MAD 121

$8.34 MX$144

57.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 MAD 63.8

$8.34 MX$144

-16.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 MAD 110

$10.73 MX$186

11.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MAD 14.83

$2.60 MX$45.04

-38.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.68

$1.46 MX$25.20

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.61

$1.90 MX$32.87

-56.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.44

$2.08 MX$35.91

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.25

$1.78 MX$30.71

-61.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.51

$2.19 MX$37.80

-67.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 MAD 3.64

$1.04 MX$17.99

-61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.77

$1.08 MX$18.62

-41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MAD 40.35

$4.08 MX$70.6

7.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 MAD 74.3

$10.32 MX$178

-21.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MAD 24.85

$1.71 MX$29.61

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 MAD 22.73

$2.58 MX$44.54

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MAD 5.23

$0.51 MX$8.81

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 MAD 249

$26.46 MX$458

2.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 MAD 5.27

$3.26 MX$56.4

-82.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 MAD 7.63

$2.49 MX$43.09

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 MAD 41.02

$3.25 MX$56.2

37.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.11

$1.31 MX$22.61

17.56%

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

$36.9K MAD 338.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

21.71%

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

$29.8K MAD 273.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

27.16%

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

$41.32 MAD 380

$82.9 MX$1,433

-50.14%

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

$11.26 MAD 103

$22.22 MX$384

-49.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.59 MAD 364

$29.34 MX$507

34.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.30 MAD 278

$51.6 MX$893

-41.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.31 MAD 269

$18.32 MX$317

59.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 MAD 60.3

$5.07 MX$87.6

29.39%

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

$158 MAD 1,448

$201 MX$3,473

-21.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,396 MAD 58.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

22.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MAD 482

$36.92 MX$639

42.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.76 MAD 448

$39.79 MX$688

22.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MAD 990

$78.5 MX$1,357

37.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 MAD 892

$87.1 MX$1,506

11.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$460 MAD 4,226

$973 MX$16.8K

-52.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MAD 2,471

$468 MX$8,090

-42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MAD 10.1K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-32.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 MAD 6,680

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-40.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,105 MAD 19.3K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-46.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,209 MAD 11.1K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-81.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$745 MAD 6,843

$664 MX$11.5K

12.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

11.42

-57.88%

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

Last update for Rabat: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $460 in Rabat versus $973 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 12% higher in Rabat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Rabat versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Rabat vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Rabat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,362 per month in Rabat and $1,945 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 Rabat, 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 $908 in Rabat and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Rabat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rabat, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Rabat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rabat – 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 Rabat. 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.