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 $611 per month in Safi vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $958 per month in Safi vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,305 per month in Safi vs $3,065 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 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.76 MAD 34.55

$11.73 MX$203

-67.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.53 MAD 152

$41.62 MX$720

-60.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 MAD 42.64

$10.64 MX$184

-56.39%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 17.99

$3.52 MX$60.9

-44.32%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.62

$1.51 MX$26.12

-59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MAD 2.88

$0.97 MX$16.84

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 MAD 15.35

$2.95 MX$51.0

-43.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MAD 14.84

$4.45 MX$77.0

-63.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.63

$1.38 MX$23.93

-39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.29

$1.89 MX$32.72

-75.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MAD 13.65

$1.64 MX$28.32

-9.15%

Eggs

$1.92 MAD 17.61

$2.51 MX$43.34

-23.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 MAD 65.2

$8.34 MX$144

-14.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 MAD 63.6

$8.34 MX$144

-17.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MAD 87.3

$10.73 MX$186

-11.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 MAD 11.13

$2.60 MX$45.04

-53.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.41

$1.46 MX$25.20

-15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.64

$1.90 MX$32.87

-56.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.52

$2.08 MX$35.91

-65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.92

$1.78 MX$30.71

-64.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.08

$2.19 MX$37.80

-69.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.93

$1.04 MX$17.99

-58.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.47

$1.08 MX$18.62

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 MAD 37.56

$4.08 MX$70.6

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 MAD 73.3

$10.32 MX$178

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 MAD 18.67

$1.71 MX$29.61

18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MAD 17.55

$2.58 MX$44.54

-25.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.32

$0.51 MX$8.81

-7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.79 MAD 99.1

$26.46 MX$458

-59.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MAD 5.29

$3.26 MX$56.4

-82.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$2.49 MX$43.09

-80.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MAD 58.7

$3.25 MX$56.2

96.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.50

$1.31 MX$22.61

20.61%

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

$37.9K MAD 348.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

25.07%

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

$29.6K MAD 271.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

26.21%

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

$29.75 MAD 273

$82.9 MX$1,433

-64.10%

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

$10.93 MAD 100

$22.22 MX$384

-50.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.66 MAD 374

$29.34 MX$507

38.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.84 MAD 201

$51.6 MX$893

-57.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MAD 49.50

$18.32 MX$317

-70.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 MAD 35.54

$5.07 MX$87.6

-23.67%

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

$160 MAD 1,467

$201 MX$3,473

-20.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-27.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 MAD 386

$36.92 MX$639

13.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 MAD 324

$39.79 MX$688

-11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 MAD 892

$78.5 MX$1,357

23.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.73 MAD 356

$87.1 MX$1,506

-55.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 MAD 2,214

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 MAD 1,267

$468 MX$8,090

-70.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MAD 4,163

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-72.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MAD 2,176

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-80.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$946 MAD 8,695

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-76.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 MAD 5,440

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-90.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 MAD 4,251

$664 MX$11.5K

-30.33%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Safi versus $973 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 44% 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 $17.00 in Safi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 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 112%, 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 $917 per month in Safi and $1,945 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 $611 in Safi and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 145% 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 $611, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.