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 $619 per month in Safi vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $948 per month in Safi vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,277 per month in Safi vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Safi is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Safi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Safi 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 MAD 36.81

$11.99 MX$210

-67.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.24 MAD 151

$41.78 MX$733

-61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 MAD 43.82

$10.75 MX$189

-56.28%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.25

$3.50 MX$61.3

-44.00%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.79

$1.45 MX$25.41

-57.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.96

$0.88 MX$15.52

-63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 MAD 15.41

$2.95 MX$51.7

-44.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MAD 15.44

$4.51 MX$79.1

-63.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.07

$1.43 MX$25.12

-39.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.71

$1.84 MX$32.23

-72.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MAD 14.27

$1.57 MX$27.51

-2.55%

Eggs

$1.87 MAD 17.47

$2.51 MX$44.06

-25.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 MAD 68.9

$8.28 MX$145

-10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 MAD 63.5

$8.43 MX$148

-19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 MAD 89.3

$10.68 MX$187

-10.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.85

$2.61 MX$45.76

-51.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.17

$1.44 MX$25.22

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.17

$1.96 MX$34.41

-60.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.65

$2.09 MX$36.74

-66.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.28

$1.85 MX$32.47

-63.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$2.17 MX$38.02

-67.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$1.03 MX$18.09

-59.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.95

$1.07 MX$18.84

-40.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 38.56

$4.10 MX$72.0

0.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 MAD 71.2

$10.17 MX$178

-24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MAD 18.50

$1.68 MX$29.38

17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MAD 18.07

$2.53 MX$44.31

-23.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.77

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 MAD 101

$26.04 MX$457

-58.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.95

$3.23 MX$56.7

-83.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.80

$2.41 MX$42.19

-78.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MAD 61.8

$3.23 MX$56.6

104.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.81

$1.32 MX$23.17

20.45%

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

$36.8K MAD 343.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

23.90%

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

$30.0K MAD 279.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

26.63%

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

$29.16 MAD 272

$82.0 MX$1,439

-64.44%

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

$11.26 MAD 105

$22.95 MX$403

-50.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.37 MAD 376

$30.11 MX$528

34.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 MAD 203

$52.0 MX$912

-58.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.56 MAD 51.8

$18.53 MX$325

-69.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 MAD 36.73

$4.98 MX$87.3

-20.88%

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

$160 MAD 1,491

$197 MX$3,463

-18.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,729 MAD 34.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-30.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 MAD 393

$35.60 MX$624

18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 MAD 337

$40.33 MX$707

-10.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MAD 918

$78.8 MX$1,381

25.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.95 MAD 363

$88.9 MX$1,560

-56.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 MAD 2,288

$947 MX$16.6K

-74.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MAD 1,313

$474 MX$8,314

-70.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 MAD 4,234

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-72.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MAD 2,239

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-80.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$920 MAD 8,575

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-77.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$561 MAD 5,232

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-91.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 MAD 4,268

$654 MX$11.5K

-30.00%

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 Safi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $245 in Safi 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 43% 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 $16.00 in Safi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $249 – 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 103%, 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 $928 per month in Safi 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 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 $619 in Safi 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 140% 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 $619, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.