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 $869 per month in Rabat vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,515 per month in Rabat vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in Rabat vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rabat is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rabat and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Rabat 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.21 MAD 39.60

$11.96 MX$203

-64.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.15 MAD 406

$47.38 MX$804

-8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 MAD 69.4

$11.75 MX$199

-37.19%

Cappuccino

$1.93 MAD 18.12

$4.12 MX$70.0

-53.16%

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

$0.64 MAD 6.01

$1.40 MX$23.74

-54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.25

$0.91 MX$15.48

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.35 MAD 50.3

$3.21 MX$54.4

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 MAD 30.95

$7.07 MX$120

-53.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 MAD 8.03

$1.68 MX$28.44

-49.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MAD 6.40

$2.15 MX$36.48

-68.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MAD 17.73

$1.77 MX$30.10

6.78%

Eggs

$1.98 MAD 18.65

$2.82 MX$47.76

-29.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.90 MAD 112

$9.20 MX$156

29.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 MAD 62.7

$9.23 MX$157

-27.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 MAD 117

$12.64 MX$214

-1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 MAD 16.05

$2.95 MX$50.1

-42.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MAD 13.73

$1.58 MX$26.79

-7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.23

$2.22 MX$37.70

-60.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.61

$2.36 MX$40.09

-61.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.07

$1.99 MX$33.81

-62.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.20

$1.98 MX$33.58

-61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$1.24 MX$21.04

-66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.54

$1.21 MX$20.55

-51.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MAD 39.71

$4.60 MX$78.1

-8.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 MAD 73.7

$10.52 MX$178

-25.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MAD 25.18

$1.69 MX$28.70

58.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MAD 25.24

$2.77 MX$47.06

-2.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MAD 5.19

$0.60 MX$10.22

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.52 MAD 249

$29.70 MX$504

-10.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 MAD 6.74

$5.24 MX$88.8

-86.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 MAD 8.44

$3.65 MX$61.9

-75.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 MAD 39.00

$5.78 MX$98.1

-28.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.80

$1.54 MX$26.09

1.95%

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

$34.6K MAD 324.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

51.53%

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

$31.5K MAD 295.8K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

21.94%

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

$35.38 MAD 333

$90.7 MX$1,538

-60.98%

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

$10.58 MAD 99.4

$25.19 MX$427

-58.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.25 MAD 312

$31.75 MX$539

4.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 MAD 284

$68.8 MX$1,167

-56.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.55 MAD 259

$29.37 MX$498

-6.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 MAD 61.3

$4.86 MX$82.5

34.16%

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

$186 MAD 1,745

$226 MX$3,828

-17.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,068 MAD 66.4K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

68.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 MAD 473

$47.38 MX$804

6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.47 MAD 418

$43.45 MX$737

2.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 MAD 878

$80.2 MX$1,361

16.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 MAD 648

$91.4 MX$1,550

-24.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 MAD 4,877

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-52.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MAD 2,609

$409 MX$6,933

-32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 MAD 10.5K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-43.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 MAD 6,329

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-47.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,018 MAD 19.0K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-50.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 MAD 11.2K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-82.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MAD 7,036

$773 MX$13.1K

-3.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

11.45

-60.52%

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

Last update for Rabat: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in Rabat versus $1,086 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 3% 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 $43.00 in Rabat versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $278 – making Rabat 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,303 per month in Rabat and $1,958 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 $869 in Rabat and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% 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 $869, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.