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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $600 per month in Safi vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $933 per month in Safi vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,266 per month in Safi vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Safi is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Safi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Safi 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 MAD 30.70

$11.60 MX$200

-72.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.04 MAD 200

$47.11 MX$812

-55.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 MAD 46.10

$11.88 MX$205

-59.09%

Cappuccino

$1.56 MAD 14.83

$3.98 MX$68.6

-60.80%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.81

$1.43 MX$24.60

-57.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MAD 3.55

$0.82 MX$14.22

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 MAD 14.71

$3.19 MX$55.0

-51.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MAD 15.21

$6.79 MX$117

-76.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 MAD 8.39

$1.68 MX$28.89

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.46

$2.20 MX$37.88

-78.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MAD 15.11

$1.71 MX$29.45

-7.02%

Eggs

$1.82 MAD 17.23

$2.74 MX$47.26

-33.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 MAD 67.7

$9.58 MX$165

-25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 MAD 62.1

$9.01 MX$155

-27.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 MAD 84.2

$12.81 MX$221

-30.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 MAD 11.28

$2.89 MX$49.81

-58.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MAD 10.67

$1.50 MX$25.81

-24.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.94

$2.15 MX$37.03

-60.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.83

$2.26 MX$38.96

-68.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MAD 5.85

$1.98 MX$34.15

-68.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.29

$1.99 MX$34.30

-61.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 MAD 3.92

$1.23 MX$21.28

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.58

$1.20 MX$20.63

-50.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 MAD 37.37

$4.55 MX$78.5

-13.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 MAD 73.0

$10.37 MX$179

-25.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MAD 18.75

$1.62 MX$27.91

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MAD 17.68

$2.88 MX$49.67

-35.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MAD 4.25

$0.60 MX$10.35

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.44 MAD 99.0

$28.80 MX$497

-63.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 MAD 6.50

$5.39 MX$92.9

-87.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MAD 5.16

$3.73 MX$64.3

-85.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 MAD 61.5

$5.77 MX$99.5

12.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MAD 14.29

$1.54 MX$26.48

-1.95%

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

$34.8K MAD 329.9K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

54.27%

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

$32.3K MAD 306.1K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

23.87%

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

$35.87 MAD 340

$91.4 MX$1,576

-60.75%

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

$10.28 MAD 97.5

$25.20 MX$435

-59.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.79 MAD 320

$31.24 MX$539

8.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.18 MAD 182

$67.2 MX$1,159

-71.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.26 MAD 49.87

$29.11 MX$502

-81.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 MAD 35.97

$4.86 MX$83.8

-22.02%

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

$99.4 MAD 942

$224 MX$3,856

-55.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,665 MAD 34.8K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-13.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.95 MAD 379

$47.10 MX$812

-15.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.76 MAD 330

$44.29 MX$764

-21.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 MAD 852

$80.1 MX$1,381

12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.39 MAD 345

$92.7 MX$1,598

-60.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MAD 2,782

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-72.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 MAD 1,324

$390 MX$6,728

-64.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 MAD 4,524

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-77.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 MAD 2,349

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-80.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$918 MAD 8,702

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-77.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 MAD 5,416

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-91.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$457 MAD 4,332

$758 MX$13.1K

-39.75%

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 Safi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $293 in Safi versus $1,063 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 66% 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 $21.00 in Safi versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $276 – making Safi 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 111%, 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 $900 per month in Safi and $1,899 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 Safi, 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 $600 in Safi and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 176% less in Safi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Safi, where all-in costs run around $600, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Safi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Safi – 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 Safi. 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.