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 $911 per month in Rabat vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,576 per month in Rabat vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,240 per month in Rabat vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rabat is about 27% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 MAD 44.09

$11.99 MX$210

-60.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.72 MAD 454

$41.78 MX$731

16.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 MAD 62.2

$10.75 MX$188

-37.95%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MAD 19.02

$3.50 MX$61.1

-41.71%

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

$0.63 MAD 5.86

$1.45 MX$25.33

-56.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 MAD 3.78

$0.88 MX$15.47

-53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 MAD 52.5

$2.95 MX$51.6

90.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 MAD 38.93

$4.51 MX$78.9

-7.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 8.06

$1.43 MX$25.04

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.36

$1.84 MX$32.13

-74.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MAD 17.43

$1.57 MX$27.42

19.11%

Eggs

$1.92 MAD 17.94

$2.51 MX$43.92

-23.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.96 MAD 121

$8.28 MX$145

56.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 MAD 66.7

$8.43 MX$147

-15.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MAD 111

$10.68 MX$187

11.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 MAD 14.42

$2.61 MX$45.62

-40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MAD 13.40

$1.44 MX$25.15

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.67

$1.96 MX$34.31

-58.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 MAD 7.37

$2.09 MX$36.62

-62.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.68

$1.85 MX$32.37

-61.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.49

$2.17 MX$37.90

-67.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.95

$1.03 MX$18.04

-59.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.92

$1.07 MX$18.78

-40.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MAD 40.92

$4.10 MX$71.7

7.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 MAD 71.4

$10.17 MX$178

-24.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 MAD 25.29

$1.68 MX$29.29

61.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 MAD 22.83

$2.53 MX$44.17

-3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MAD 4.93

$0.51 MX$8.90

3.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.66 MAD 258

$26.04 MX$455

6.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.92

$3.23 MX$56.5

-83.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MAD 8.23

$2.41 MX$42.06

-63.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 MAD 40.34

$3.23 MX$56.5

34.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.22

$1.32 MX$23.10

15.15%

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

$37.3K MAD 348.0K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

25.69%

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

$29.6K MAD 276.0K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

25.10%

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

$41.99 MAD 392

$82.0 MX$1,434

-48.80%

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

$10.87 MAD 101

$22.95 MX$401

-52.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 MAD 373

$30.11 MX$527

32.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.61 MAD 285

$52.0 MX$909

-41.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.43 MAD 265

$18.53 MX$324

53.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MAD 60.5

$4.98 MX$87.0

30.32%

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

$160 MAD 1,490

$197 MX$3,452

-19.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,628 MAD 61.8K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

24.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 MAD 501

$35.60 MX$622

50.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 MAD 458

$40.33 MX$705

21.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MAD 1,015

$78.8 MX$1,377

38.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 MAD 914

$88.9 MX$1,555

10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 MAD 4,279

$947 MX$16.6K

-51.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 MAD 2,414

$474 MX$8,288

-45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 MAD 10.4K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 MAD 6,955

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-38.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 MAD 19.5K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-48.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MAD 11.2K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-81.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$739 MAD 6,891

$654 MX$11.4K

13.01%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 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 13% 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 38%, 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 $1,366 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 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 $911 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.

Public transport costs about 6% 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 $911, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.