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 $693 per month in Tetouan vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,048 per month in Tetouan vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,402 per month in Tetouan vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tetouan is about 46% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tetouan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tetouan 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 MAD 29.53

$11.71 MX$199

-73.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.94 MAD 177

$46.59 MX$791

-59.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 MAD 78.7

$11.65 MX$198

-27.64%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MAD 17.10

$4.09 MX$69.5

-55.26%

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

$0.78 MAD 7.25

$1.37 MX$23.34

-43.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MAD 3.14

$0.83 MX$14.16

-59.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 MAD 24.57

$3.35 MX$56.9

-21.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MAD 30.88

$6.91 MX$117

-52.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 MAD 9.63

$1.73 MX$29.33

-40.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 MAD 2.62

$2.26 MX$38.39

-87.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 MAD 18.70

$1.77 MX$30.05

12.99%

Eggs

$1.74 MAD 16.26

$2.73 MX$46.41

-36.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 MAD 55.8

$9.18 MX$156

-34.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 MAD 69.3

$8.92 MX$151

-16.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 MAD 122

$12.60 MX$214

3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 MAD 15.20

$3.02 MX$51.3

-46.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MAD 14.10

$1.57 MX$26.68

-3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.54

$2.13 MX$36.10

-57.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.84 MAD 7.88

$2.26 MX$38.46

-62.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MAD 8.46

$2.00 MX$34.04

-54.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 MAD 7.45

$2.06 MX$35.06

-61.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 MAD 4.66

$1.18 MX$20.04

-57.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MAD 5.75

$1.20 MX$20.45

-48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 MAD 36.08

$4.63 MX$78.7

-16.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 MAD 84.5

$10.69 MX$182

-15.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 MAD 21.38

$1.62 MX$27.50

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 MAD 23.50

$2.88 MX$48.93

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.80

$0.57 MX$9.74

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.05 MAD 122

$29.83 MX$507

-56.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MAD 6.83

$5.45 MX$92.5

-86.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 MAD 10.62

$3.70 MX$62.9

-69.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 MAD 32.87

$5.98 MX$102

-41.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MAD 14.24

$1.55 MX$26.38

-1.94%

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

$34.8K MAD 324.6K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

55.71%

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

$32.0K MAD 298.7K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

23.30%

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

$46.20 MAD 431

$89.1 MX$1,514

-48.17%

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

$10.90 MAD 102

$25.04 MX$425

-56.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.81 MAD 400

$31.50 MX$535

35.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.36 MAD 143

$67.8 MX$1,151

-77.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.47 MAD 116

$28.92 MX$491

-56.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.80 MAD 35.51

$5.05 MX$85.8

-24.75%

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

$48.91 MAD 457

$225 MX$3,820

-78.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,094 MAD 56.9K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

44.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.44 MAD 172

$47.44 MX$806

-61.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.29 MAD 451

$44.98 MX$764

7.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.1 MAD 533

$82.0 MX$1,392

-30.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.4 MAD 639

$92.1 MX$1,564

-25.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 MAD 1,993

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-80.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 MAD 1,610

$405 MX$6,884

-57.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 MAD 3,962

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-78.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MAD 2,492

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-79.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,122 MAD 10.5K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-71.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$718 MAD 6,702

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-89.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$418 MAD 3,901

$749 MX$12.7K

-44.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.45

-51.97%

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

Last update for Tetouan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $213 in Tetouan 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 79% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $277 – 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 87%, 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 $1,039 per month in Tetouan 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 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 $693 in Tetouan 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 129% 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 $693, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.