Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Safi and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Safi: $588 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Safi
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Safi Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Safi

🇲🇦 Morocco

$588

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Safi and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Safi and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $588 per month in Safi vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Safi $588
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $904 per month in Safi vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Safi $904
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,221 per month in Safi vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Safi $1,221
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Safi is about 51% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Safi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Safi 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 MAD 30.76

$10.92 MX$205

-71.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.10 MAD 178

$43.37 MX$814

-58.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.06 MAD 59.6

$11.78 MX$221

-48.56%

Cappuccino

$1.49 MAD 14.68

$3.81 MX$71.5

-60.89%

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

$0.46 MAD 4.51

$1.28 MX$24.07

-64.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MAD 3.30

$0.78 MX$14.70

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 MAD 15.49

$3.17 MX$59.5

-50.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MAD 14.77

$4.93 MX$92.7

-69.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 MAD 8.08

$1.41 MX$26.40

-41.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 MAD 4.84

$2.22 MX$41.62

-77.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 MAD 15.54

$1.42 MX$26.61

11.27%

Eggs

$1.66 MAD 16.31

$2.52 MX$47.36

-34.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 MAD 65.2

$7.26 MX$136

-8.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 MAD 65.9

$7.70 MX$144

-12.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.50 MAD 83.6

$12.69 MX$238

-33.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 MAD 11.43

$2.78 MX$52.3

-58.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MAD 11.24

$1.37 MX$25.68

-16.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.45

$2.55 MX$47.89

-70.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.96

$2.12 MX$39.86

-66.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 MAD 5.86

$1.94 MX$36.39

-69.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.61

$1.89 MX$35.41

-59.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 MAD 3.85

$1.15 MX$21.53

-66.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MAD 5.98

$1.18 MX$22.13

-48.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 MAD 36.14

$4.30 MX$80.6

-14.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.57 MAD 74.4

$9.95 MX$187

-23.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MAD 18.67

$1.58 MX$29.73

20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MAD 17.71

$2.67 MX$50.1

-32.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MAD 4.41

$0.55 MX$10.39

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.21 MAD 100

$26.62 MX$500

-61.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MAD 6.64

$4.97 MX$93.3

-86.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MAD 4.79

$3.33 MX$62.5

-85.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 MAD 58.5

$5.36 MX$101

11.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MAD 14.63

$1.44 MX$27.11

3.47%

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

$30.8K MAD 302.4K

$20.7K MX$388.0K

48.87%

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

$32.5K MAD 319.4K

$23.5K MX$440.5K

38.47%

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

$35.26 MAD 347

$84.8 MX$1,592

-58.41%

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

$10.00 MAD 98.3

$23.41 MX$439

-57.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.24 MAD 337

$28.66 MX$538

19.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.60 MAD 183

$57.1 MX$1,071

-67.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.14 MAD 50.6

$28.91 MX$543

-82.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 MAD 35.24

$5.14 MX$96.5

-30.35%

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

$96.0 MAD 943

$207 MX$3,878

-53.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,608 MAD 35.5K

$3,927 MX$73.7K

-8.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.78 MAD 381

$43.35 MX$814

-10.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 MAD 321

$41.44 MX$778

-21.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 MAD 910

$74.2 MX$1,393

24.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.25 MAD 347

$89.3 MX$1,676

-60.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 MAD 2,734

$980 MX$18.4K

-71.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 MAD 1,355

$381 MX$7,150

-63.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 MAD 4,557

$1,708 MX$32.1K

-72.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 MAD 2,300

$1,075 MX$20.2K

-78.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$884 MAD 8,687

$3,943 MX$74.0K

-77.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$551 MAD 5,413

$6,158 MX$115.6K

-91.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$445 MAD 4,374

$735 MX$13.8K

-39.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.55

11.45

-60.26%

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

Last update for Safi: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Safi

$165 28%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 54.7% $90

Accommodation & Living

Safi

$138 23.5%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 176% $243

Clothing & Footwear

Safi

$90 15.3%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 24.6% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Safi

$80 13.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 72.1% $57

Eating Out

Safi

$75 12.8%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 169% $127

Sport & Entertainment

Safi

$26 4.4%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 161% $42

Getting Around

Safi

$15 2.6%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 234% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Safi versus $980 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 65% 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 $18 in Safi versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $255 – making Safi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇦 Safi

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

20:20 8:20 PM

15:20 3:20 PM

5 h behind Safi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

323,888

149,923

💱 Currency

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MAD = 10.17 USD

100 MAD = 9.11 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇦 Moroccan Dirham (د.م.)

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 9.83 MAD (1 MAD = 0.102 USD). 1 EUR = 10.98 MAD (100 MAD = 9.11 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to MAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Safi Playa del Carmen 7,700 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Safi
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 105%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $882 per month in Safi and $1,806 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $278 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $588 in Safi and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Safi about 51% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Safi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Safi, where all-in costs run around $588, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Safi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.