Cost of Living Comparison Between Moab, UT and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Moab, UT and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,572 in Moab, UT versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,809 in Moab, UT versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,046 in Moab, UT versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Moab, UT is roughly 100% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moab, UT is 92% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 $20.40

$11.94 MX$208

70.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 $73.1

$42.75 MX$744

71.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.75 $14.75

$10.59 MX$184

39.28%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$3.62 MX$63.0

40.06%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.47 MX$25.54

77.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.94 MX$16.41

107.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.09 MX$53.8

92.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$4.46 MX$77.6

61.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.43 MX$24.80

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.88 MX$32.79

87.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.63 MX$28.34

168.71%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$2.64 MX$45.99

58.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 $12.08

$8.21 MX$143

47.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$8.29 MX$144

39.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$11.10 MX$193

38.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.65 MX$46.14

90.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.50 MX$26.11

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.99 MX$34.59

108.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.08 MX$36.13

130.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.79 MX$31.11

54.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.18 MX$37.87

27.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.08 MX$18.73

93.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.04 MX$18.04

108.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.68 $9.68

$3.97 MX$69.1

143.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.74 $14.74

$10.20 MX$178

44.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.73 MX$30.04

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.50 MX$43.46

37.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.52 MX$9.02

290.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.14 MX$54.7

8.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.40 MX$41.80

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.27 $29.27

$3.09 MX$53.7

847.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.27 MX$22.16

-28.35%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-2.52%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

10.67%

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

$187 $187

$82.0 MX$1,427

128.31%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$22.45 MX$391

138.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$29.66 MX$516

126.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.84 $43.84

$51.9 MX$903

-15.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 $13.69

$4.97 MX$86.5

175.45%

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

$1,313 $1,313

$198 MX$3,442

563.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

350.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$36.34 MX$632

42.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 $39.75

$40.05 MX$697

-0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$79.9 MX$1,390

6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$88.9 MX$1,547

24.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$963 MX$16.8K

67.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$465 MX$8,086

190.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,643 $2,643

$1,596 MX$27.8K

65.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 $2,209

$1,209 MX$21.0K

82.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,334 $2,334

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-40.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,676 $2,676

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-58.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.42

-42.99%

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

Last update for Moab, UT: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,614 in Moab, UT and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Moab, UT vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

Moab, UT vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,858 in Moab, UT and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,614 in Moab, UT versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Moab, UT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,572 per month in Moab, UT versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,572 in Moab, UT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Moab, UT. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Moab, UT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Moab, UT and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Moab, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.