Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Mochis and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Mochis and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,113 per month in Los Mochis vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,708 per month in Los Mochis vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,302 per month in Los Mochis vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Los Mochis is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Los Mochis and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Los Mochis 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 MX$126

$11.73 MX$203

-37.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.38 MX$404

$41.62 MX$720

-43.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 MX$148

$10.64 MX$184

-19.45%

Cappuccino

$3.43 MX$59.2

$3.52 MX$60.9

-2.56%

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

$0.87 MX$14.98

$1.51 MX$26.12

-42.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 MX$10.69

$0.97 MX$16.84

-36.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MX$37.60

$2.95 MX$51.0

-26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 MX$71.6

$4.45 MX$77.0

-6.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$24.95

$1.38 MX$23.93

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$44.02

$1.89 MX$32.72

34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.71

$1.64 MX$28.32

-2.44%

Eggs

$2.41 MX$41.62

$2.51 MX$43.34

-3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 MX$140

$8.34 MX$144

-2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 MX$132

$8.34 MX$144

-8.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.73 MX$186

-2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.29

$2.60 MX$45.04

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$1.46 MX$25.20

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.46

$1.90 MX$32.87

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.69

$2.08 MX$35.91

-20.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.61

$1.78 MX$30.71

2.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.67

$2.19 MX$37.80

-10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.59

$1.04 MX$17.99

20.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.10

$1.08 MX$18.62

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MX$71.6

$4.08 MX$70.6

1.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 MX$213

$10.32 MX$178

19.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$26.95

$1.71 MX$29.61

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.99

$2.58 MX$44.54

7.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MX$10.23

$0.51 MX$8.81

15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.73 MX$480

$26.46 MX$458

4.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 MX$45.09

$3.26 MX$56.4

-19.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$27.62

$2.49 MX$43.09

-35.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$3.25 MX$56.2

31.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 MX$21.33

$1.31 MX$22.61

-6.11%

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

$14.9K MX$258.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-50.65%

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

$20.0K MX$345.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-14.81%

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

$56.4 MX$975

$82.9 MX$1,433

-31.94%

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

$29.02 MX$502

$22.22 MX$384

30.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.79 MX$360

$29.34 MX$507

-29.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.06 MX$451

$51.6 MX$893

-49.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.61 MX$270

$18.32 MX$317

-14.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 MX$71.3

$5.07 MX$87.6

-18.74%

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

$207 MX$3,572

$201 MX$3,473

2.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,600 MX$62.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-30.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 MX$902

$36.92 MX$639

41.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.52 MX$684

$39.79 MX$688

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 MX$1,546

$78.5 MX$1,357

13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 MX$1,347

$87.1 MX$1,506

-10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,852

$973 MX$16.8K

-47.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 MX$6,839

$468 MX$8,090

-15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 MX$16.0K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-43.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$773 MX$13.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-36.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MX$35.7K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-47.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 MX$20.6K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-81.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 MX$12.0K

$664 MX$11.5K

4.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

11.42

0.53%

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

Last update for Los Mochis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Los Mochis 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 4% higher in Los Mochis, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Los Mochis versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Los Mochis vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Los Mochis, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,670 per month in Los Mochis 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 Los Mochis, 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 $1,113 in Los Mochis 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 5% less in Los Mochis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Mochis, where all-in costs run around $1,113, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Los Mochis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Mochis costs $1,113 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Los Mochis. 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.