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: $2,592 in Moab, UT versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,782 in Moab, UT versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,971 in Moab, UT versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Moab, UT is roughly 104% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Moab, UT is 93% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$11.87 MX$204

67.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 $71.5

$42.90 MX$736

66.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.29 $15.29

$10.65 MX$183

43.57%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$3.45 MX$59.2

44.93%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.50 MX$25.81

71.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.95 MX$16.28

115.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.03 MX$51.9

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$4.61 MX$79.1

51.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.38 MX$23.61

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.85 MX$31.70

92.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.61 MX$27.65

162.11%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.59 MX$44.51

64.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 $12.38

$8.26 MX$142

49.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.67 $11.67

$8.37 MX$144

39.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

$10.66 MX$183

47.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.63 MX$45.12

85.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.49 MX$25.53

8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.92 MX$32.94

126.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.09 MX$35.81

123.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.86 MX$31.88

53.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.26 MX$38.81

29.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.06 MX$18.23

91.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.09 MX$18.67

92.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.85 $9.85

$4.15 MX$71.2

137.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 $12.95

$10.39 MX$178

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.72 MX$29.59

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.61 MX$44.85

26.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.54 MX$9.30

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.13 MX$53.7

13.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.51 MX$43.09

-33.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.80 $28.80

$3.15 MX$54.1

814.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.27 MX$21.88

-29.92%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-2.64%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

9.81%

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

$185 $185

$83.0 MX$1,425

122.87%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$22.71 MX$390

130.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$29.46 MX$506

127.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 $42.49

$51.0 MX$875

-16.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$13.63 $13.63

$4.93 MX$84.5

176.47%

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

$1,308 $1,308

$197 MX$3,386

562.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

345.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 $50.9

$36.90 MX$633

38.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 $40.30

$39.89 MX$685

1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$80.0 MX$1,373

10.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$89.5 MX$1,536

26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$956 MX$16.4K

69.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$477 MX$8,189

184.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,672 $2,672

$1,646 MX$28.3K

62.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,236 $2,236

$1,225 MX$21.0K

82.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,765 $4,765

$3,918 MX$67.2K

21.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,540 $4,540

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-29.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Moab, UT and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Moab, UT vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $250 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 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,888 in Moab, UT and $1,906 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: $1,625 in Moab, UT versus $956 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 $2,592 per month in Moab, UT versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,592 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 104% less than in Moab, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.