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 $706 per month in Settat vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Settat vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,600 per month in Settat vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Settat is about 44% 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

$3.36 MAD 30.98

$11.61 MX$201

-71.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.47 MAD 309

$42.75 MX$742

-21.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 MAD 66.5

$10.60 MX$184

-32.08%

Cappuccino

$1.23 MAD 11.38

$3.59 MX$62.3

-65.74%

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

$0.47 MAD 4.38

$1.45 MX$25.21

-67.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 MAD 3.25

$0.90 MX$15.58

-61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MAD 12.47

$3.03 MX$52.6

-55.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 MAD 14.69

$4.56 MX$79.2

-65.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.31

$1.45 MX$25.20

-37.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 MAD 5.37

$1.83 MX$31.72

-68.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 MAD 17.03

$1.61 MX$27.92

14.91%

Eggs

$2.10 MAD 19.37

$2.54 MX$44.05

-17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 MAD 88.9

$8.54 MX$148

12.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.01 MAD 55.5

$8.47 MX$147

-29.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 MAD 104

$10.86 MX$189

3.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 MAD 14.36

$2.73 MX$47.37

-42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MAD 12.72

$1.49 MX$25.91

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 MAD 8.46

$1.94 MX$33.73

-52.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 MAD 8.17

$2.16 MX$37.57

-59.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.79

$1.85 MX$32.05

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 6.96

$2.19 MX$38.00

-65.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.96

$1.07 MX$18.62

-59.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.51

$1.08 MX$18.81

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 MAD 40.88

$4.06 MX$70.5

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 MAD 74.0

$10.46 MX$182

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MAD 24.45

$1.65 MX$28.71

60.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 MAD 27.47

$2.55 MX$44.23

16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MAD 4.23

$0.56 MX$9.65

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.29 MAD 150

$26.20 MX$455

-37.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 MAD 6.82

$3.14 MX$54.5

-76.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.44

$2.37 MX$41.17

-79.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MAD 49.99

$3.24 MX$56.2

67.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.01

$1.31 MX$22.81

16.03%

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

$36.7K MAD 338.6K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

20.12%

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

$29.6K MAD 272.9K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

24.11%

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

$21.63 MAD 200

$83.1 MX$1,443

-73.98%

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

$5.38 MAD 49.70

$22.15 MX$385

-75.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.18 MAD 426

$29.37 MX$510

57.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.07 MAD 176

$51.2 MX$889

-62.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.61 MAD 218

$18.69 MX$324

26.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 MAD 61.8

$4.89 MX$84.9

36.81%

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

$112 MAD 1,036

$199 MX$3,449

-43.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,338 MAD 58.5K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.64 MAD 394

$35.93 MX$624

18.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 MAD 467

$39.39 MX$684

28.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MAD 987

$80.3 MX$1,394

33.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 MAD 954

$87.6 MX$1,520

18.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 MAD 2,558

$963 MX$16.7K

-71.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,598

$482 MX$8,370

-64.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MAD 4,698

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-69.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 MAD 2,821

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-74.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 MAD 4,456

$726 MX$12.6K

-33.53%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Settat versus $963 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 50% 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 in Settat versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $253 – 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 79%, 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 $1,060 per month in Settat and $1,894 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 $706 in Settat and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% 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 $706, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,262. 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.