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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $654 per month in Tetouan vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $970 per month in Tetouan vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,287 per month in Tetouan vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tetouan is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tetouan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tetouan 51% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 MAD 30.04

$11.73 MX$203

-72.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.97 MAD 175

$41.62 MX$721

-54.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 MAD 65.9

$10.64 MX$184

-32.71%

Cappuccino

$1.73 MAD 15.90

$3.52 MX$61.0

-50.85%

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

$0.66 MAD 6.05

$1.51 MX$26.17

-56.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MAD 3.00

$0.97 MX$16.87

-65.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MAD 24.72

$2.95 MX$51.1

-9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MAD 29.79

$4.45 MX$77.2

-27.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.01

$1.38 MX$23.97

-36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 MAD 2.28

$1.89 MX$32.78

-86.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MAD 14.24

$1.64 MX$28.37

-5.49%

Eggs

$1.80 MAD 16.60

$2.51 MX$43.42

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.65 MAD 42.78

$8.34 MX$145

-44.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 MAD 51.3

$8.34 MX$145

-33.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 MAD 96.2

$10.73 MX$186

-2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.45

$2.60 MX$45.12

-52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MAD 11.97

$1.46 MX$25.25

-10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 6.65

$1.90 MX$32.94

-62.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 6.90

$2.08 MX$35.98

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 MAD 5.99

$1.78 MX$30.77

-63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.17

$2.19 MX$37.87

-69.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 MAD 4.17

$1.04 MX$18.02

-56.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 MAD 5.95

$1.08 MX$18.66

-39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MAD 37.15

$4.08 MX$70.7

-0.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.91 MAD 82.0

$10.32 MX$179

-13.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MAD 16.07

$1.71 MX$29.67

2.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 MAD 18.92

$2.58 MX$44.63

-20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.29

$0.51 MX$8.83

-7.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.34 MAD 123

$26.46 MX$459

-49.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.88

$3.26 MX$56.5

-83.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 MAD 9.85

$2.49 MX$43.17

-57.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 MAD 31.53

$3.25 MX$56.3

5.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MAD 14.36

$1.31 MX$22.65

19.08%

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

$37.1K MAD 341.5K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

22.48%

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

$24.5K MAD 225.2K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

4.42%

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

$42.41 MAD 390

$82.9 MX$1,436

-48.82%

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

$10.21 MAD 94.0

$22.22 MX$385

-54.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.02 MAD 368

$29.34 MX$508

36.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.08 MAD 130

$51.6 MX$895

-72.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.55 MAD 116

$18.32 MX$317

-31.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 MAD 35.63

$5.07 MX$87.8

-23.67%

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

$44.65 MAD 411

$201 MX$3,480

-77.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,150 MAD 47.4K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.27 MAD 177

$36.92 MX$640

-47.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.66 MAD 430

$39.79 MX$689

17.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 MAD 548

$78.5 MX$1,360

-24.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 MAD 634

$87.1 MX$1,509

-20.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 MAD 1,999

$973 MX$16.9K

-77.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 MAD 1,687

$468 MX$8,105

-60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 MAD 4,404

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-70.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 MAD 2,517

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-77.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,160 MAD 10.7K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-70.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$807 MAD 7,425

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-87.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 MAD 3,953

$664 MX$11.5K

-35.32%

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 Tetouan: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $217 in Tetouan 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 55% 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 $19.00 in Tetouan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $249 – making Tetouan 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 98%, 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 $981 per month in Tetouan 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 Tetouan, 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 $654 in Tetouan 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 98% less in Tetouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Tetouan, where all-in costs run around $654, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Tetouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tetouan – 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 Tetouan. 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.