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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $695 per month in Settat vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,131 per month in Settat vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,568 per month in Settat vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Settat is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Settat and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Settat 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 MAD 31.15

$11.99 MX$209

-72.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.22 MAD 311

$41.78 MX$728

-20.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 MAD 65.6

$10.75 MX$187

-34.79%

Cappuccino

$1.18 MAD 11.06

$3.50 MX$60.9

-66.29%

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

$0.48 MAD 4.51

$1.45 MX$25.22

-66.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MAD 3.32

$0.88 MX$15.41

-59.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 MAD 12.01

$2.95 MX$51.3

-56.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MAD 15.50

$4.51 MX$78.6

-63.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.84

$1.43 MX$24.94

-41.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 MAD 5.08

$1.84 MX$31.99

-70.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MAD 16.59

$1.57 MX$27.31

12.74%

Eggs

$2.08 MAD 19.47

$2.51 MX$43.74

-17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 MAD 89.2

$8.28 MX$144

15.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.15 MAD 57.5

$8.43 MX$147

-27.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 MAD 106

$10.68 MX$186

6.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 MAD 14.24

$2.61 MX$45.43

-41.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.94

$1.44 MX$25.04

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 MAD 8.89

$1.96 MX$34.16

-51.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.27

$2.09 MX$36.47

-57.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.31

$1.85 MX$32.24

-57.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.86

$2.17 MX$37.74

-66.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.95

$1.03 MX$17.96

-59.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 MAD 5.89

$1.07 MX$18.70

-41.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 MAD 41.92

$4.10 MX$71.4

9.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 MAD 76.9

$10.17 MX$177

-19.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MAD 25.11

$1.68 MX$29.17

59.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MAD 28.86

$2.53 MX$43.98

21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MAD 4.00

$0.51 MX$8.87

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.41 MAD 154

$26.04 MX$453

-36.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 MAD 7.44

$3.23 MX$56.3

-75.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.50

$2.41 MX$41.88

-80.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 MAD 52.5

$3.23 MX$56.2

73.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MAD 14.32

$1.32 MX$23.00

15.91%

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

$37.5K MAD 351.1K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

26.36%

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

$30.2K MAD 282.3K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

27.49%

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

$21.52 MAD 201

$82.0 MX$1,428

-73.76%

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

$5.52 MAD 51.7

$22.95 MX$400

-75.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.53 MAD 426

$30.11 MX$524

51.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.52 MAD 183

$52.0 MX$905

-62.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.22 MAD 217

$18.53 MX$323

25.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 MAD 61.1

$4.98 MX$86.6

30.92%

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

$112 MAD 1,044

$197 MX$3,438

-43.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,248 MAD 58.5K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

17.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.37 MAD 406

$35.60 MX$620

21.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 MAD 476

$40.33 MX$702

26.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MAD 1,010

$78.8 MX$1,371

37.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 MAD 961

$88.9 MX$1,549

15.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MAD 2,620

$947 MX$16.5K

-70.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 MAD 1,605

$474 MX$8,254

-63.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MAD 4,724

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-69.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MAD 2,813

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-75.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 MAD 1,993

$654 MX$11.4K

-67.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.75

11.42

-58.41%

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

Last update for Settat: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Settat 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 207% 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 $33.00 in Settat versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $249 – making Settat 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 81%, 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 $1,042 per month in Settat 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 Settat, 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 $695 in Settat 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 59% less in Settat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Settat, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Settat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Settat – 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 Settat. 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.