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 $879 per month in Tangier vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,371 per month in Tangier vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,863 per month in Tangier vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tangier is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tangier and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tangier 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 MAD 41.14

$11.99 MX$210

-63.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.62 MAD 285

$41.78 MX$732

-26.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 MAD 67.5

$10.75 MX$188

-32.65%

Cappuccino

$1.66 MAD 15.49

$3.50 MX$61.3

-52.57%

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

$0.66 MAD 6.17

$1.45 MX$25.39

-54.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.05

$0.88 MX$15.51

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 MAD 35.45

$2.95 MX$51.7

28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 MAD 31.12

$4.51 MX$79.1

-25.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 MAD 9.38

$1.43 MX$25.10

-29.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 MAD 7.94

$1.84 MX$32.20

-53.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MAD 15.76

$1.57 MX$27.49

7.64%

Eggs

$2.20 MAD 20.50

$2.51 MX$44.02

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 MAD 91.0

$8.28 MX$145

17.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 MAD 63.4

$8.43 MX$148

-19.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 MAD 118

$10.68 MX$187

18.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 MAD 12.12

$2.61 MX$45.72

-50.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MAD 12.73

$1.44 MX$25.20

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.14

$1.96 MX$34.39

-60.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.86

$2.09 MX$36.71

-64.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 6.03

$1.85 MX$32.45

-64.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.70

$2.17 MX$37.99

-66.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MAD 5.07

$1.03 MX$18.08

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.76

$1.07 MX$18.83

-42.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MAD 39.77

$4.10 MX$71.9

3.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 MAD 92.5

$10.17 MX$178

-2.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 MAD 30.69

$1.68 MX$29.36

95.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 MAD 30.49

$2.53 MX$44.27

29.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 MAD 4.01

$0.51 MX$8.93

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.66 MAD 155

$26.04 MX$456

-36.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MAD 5.38

$3.23 MX$56.7

-82.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.46

$2.41 MX$42.15

-80.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 MAD 92.8

$3.23 MX$56.6

208.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.21

$1.32 MX$23.15

15.15%

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

$37.3K MAD 347.8K

$29.7K MX$520.5K

25.58%

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

$24.5K MAD 228.3K

$23.7K MX$414.7K

3.45%

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

$83.8 MAD 781

$82.0 MX$1,437

2.13%

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

$11.17 MAD 104

$22.95 MX$402

-51.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.16 MAD 365

$30.11 MX$528

30.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.90 MAD 260

$52.0 MX$911

-46.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.31 MAD 357

$18.53 MX$325

106.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 MAD 66.9

$4.98 MX$87.2

44.18%

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

$97.9 MAD 913

$197 MX$3,460

-50.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,495 MAD 60.6K

$5,336 MX$93.5K

21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.46 MAD 284

$35.60 MX$624

-14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.53 MAD 425

$40.33 MX$707

12.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 MAD 829

$78.8 MX$1,380

12.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 MAD 754

$88.9 MX$1,559

-9.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MAD 4,153

$947 MX$16.6K

-52.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MAD 2,215

$474 MX$8,307

-49.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MAD 8,142

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 MAD 4,112

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-63.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,810 MAD 16.9K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-55.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,264 MAD 11.8K

$6,470 MX$113.4K

-80.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$510 MAD 4,756

$654 MX$11.5K

-22.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.35

11.42

-61.91%

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

Last update for Tangier: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Tangier 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 28% 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 $31.00 in Tangier versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $249 – 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 43%, 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 $1,318 per month in Tangier 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 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 $879 in Tangier 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 56% 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 $879, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.