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: $2,602 in Moab, UT versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,807 in Moab, UT versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,012 in Moab, UT versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Moab, UT is roughly 106% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moab, UT is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$11.72 MX$203

69.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 $71.7

$41.89 MX$725

71.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$10.51 MX$182

43.10%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.59 MX$62.0

45.40%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.51 MX$26.10

72.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.92 MX$15.83

120.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.96 MX$51.2

108.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.41 MX$76.3

58.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.40 MX$24.16

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.88 MX$32.60

89.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.56 MX$26.97

176.28%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.61 MX$45.14

63.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$8.32 MX$144

49.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$8.35 MX$145

37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$10.86 MX$188

41.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.71 MX$46.93

80.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.51 MX$26.04

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$1.87 MX$32.41

132.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.19 MX$37.89

113.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.86 MX$32.14

53.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.23 MX$38.59

24.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.07 MX$18.48

86.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.09 MX$18.79

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 $9.63

$4.19 MX$72.4

129.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.19 $13.19

$10.43 MX$180

26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.66 MX$28.68

10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.61 MX$45.19

26.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.54 MX$9.37

274.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.08 MX$53.3

16.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.40 MX$41.61

-32.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.52 $29.52

$3.13 MX$54.1

843.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 MX$22.69

-35.88%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

0.33%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

9.92%

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

$186 $186

$81.3 MX$1,406

128.48%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$22.56 MX$390

130.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$30.05 MX$520

121.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.57 $43.57

$52.9 MX$915

-17.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 $13.44

$4.92 MX$85.1

173.17%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$201 MX$3,474

546.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

345.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$35.92 MX$622

40.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.36 $40.36

$40.13 MX$694

0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$79.7 MX$1,379

10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$86.5 MX$1,496

31.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$978 MX$16.9K

63.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$470 MX$8,140

186.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 $2,591

$1,651 MX$28.6K

56.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 $2,220

$1,203 MX$20.8K

84.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 $4,801

$3,953 MX$68.4K

21.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,508 $4,508

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-31.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,600 in Moab, UT and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Moab, UT vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $252 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 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,903 in Moab, UT and $1,890 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: $1,600 in Moab, UT versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Moab, UT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,602 per month in Moab, UT versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,602 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 106% less than in Moab, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.