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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,042 per month in Tangier vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,591 per month in Tangier vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,140 per month in Tangier vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tangier is about 19% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tangier and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tangier 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 MAD 50.4

$11.71 MX$199

-53.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.72 MAD 352

$46.59 MX$792

-19.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 MAD 70.6

$11.65 MX$198

-35.11%

Cappuccino

$2.32 MAD 21.65

$4.09 MX$69.6

-43.28%

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

$0.88 MAD 8.22

$1.37 MX$23.35

-35.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MAD 4.20

$0.83 MX$14.17

-45.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.29 MAD 58.7

$3.35 MX$57.0

87.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 MAD 50.6

$6.91 MX$117

-21.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 MAD 10.32

$1.73 MX$29.35

-36.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 MAD 10.82

$2.26 MX$38.41

-48.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MAD 16.51

$1.77 MX$30.07

Eggs

$1.94 MAD 18.14

$2.73 MX$46.43

-28.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 MAD 96.7

$9.18 MX$156

12.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.17 MAD 67.0

$8.92 MX$152

-19.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 MAD 130

$12.60 MX$214

10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 MAD 14.84

$3.02 MX$51.3

-47.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MAD 14.48

$1.57 MX$26.69

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 MAD 7.13

$2.13 MX$36.12

-64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 MAD 7.24

$2.26 MX$38.48

-65.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 6.04

$2.00 MX$34.05

-67.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MAD 6.86

$2.06 MX$35.08

-64.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 MAD 4.77

$1.18 MX$20.05

-56.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.50

$1.20 MX$20.46

-50.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MAD 40.56

$4.63 MX$78.8

-6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.46 MAD 88.3

$10.69 MX$182

-11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.03 MAD 37.63

$1.62 MX$27.52

148.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 MAD 37.28

$2.88 MX$48.96

38.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$0.57 MX$9.74

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 MAD 150

$29.83 MX$507

-46.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MAD 6.85

$5.45 MX$92.6

-86.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 MAD 8.73

$3.70 MX$63.0

-74.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 MAD 88.2

$5.98 MX$102

58.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MAD 14.35

$1.55 MX$26.40

-0.65%

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

$34.9K MAD 325.9K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

56.30%

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

$30.5K MAD 285.1K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

17.64%

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

$76.9 MAD 718

$89.1 MX$1,515

-13.77%

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

$14.04 MAD 131

$25.04 MX$426

-43.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.16 MAD 384

$31.50 MX$535

30.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.83 MAD 288

$67.8 MX$1,152

-54.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.61 MAD 351

$28.92 MX$491

30.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 MAD 71.6

$5.05 MX$85.8

51.88%

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

$95.4 MAD 890

$225 MX$3,823

-57.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,349 MAD 59.3K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

50.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.82 MAD 353

$47.44 MX$806

-20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 MAD 480

$44.98 MX$764

14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MAD 953

$82.0 MX$1,393

24.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MAD 1,009

$92.1 MX$1,565

17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 MAD 4,733

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-52.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 MAD 3,091

$405 MX$6,888

-18.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 MAD 8,327

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-53.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 MAD 4,972

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-59.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,794 MAD 16.8K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-55.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 MAD 11.5K

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-81.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 MAD 4,897

$749 MX$12.7K

-29.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.67

11.45

-67.95%

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

Last update for Tangier: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Tangier versus $1,069 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 $38.00 in Tangier versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $277 – making Tangier 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,563 per month in Tangier and $1,940 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 Tangier, 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 $1,042 in Tangier and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Tangier. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tangier, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Tangier it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tangier – 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 Tangier. 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.