Cost of Living Comparison Between Moca and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Moca and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $762 per month in Moca vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,165 per month in Moca vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Moca vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moca is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moca and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Moca 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 DOP 508

$11.73 MX$203

-25.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 DOP 2,984

$41.62 MX$720

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 DOP 442

$10.64 MX$184

-28.76%

Cappuccino

$2.71 DOP 158

$3.52 MX$60.9

-23.01%

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

$1.03 DOP 60.1

$1.51 MX$26.12

-31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 DOP 45.06

$0.97 MX$16.84

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 153

$2.95 MX$51.0

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 DOP 293

$4.45 MX$77.0

13.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 DOP 62.6

$1.38 MX$23.93

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 DOP 77.1

$1.89 MX$32.72

-30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DOP 90.9

$1.64 MX$28.32

-4.88%

Eggs

$1.34 DOP 78.3

$2.51 MX$43.34

-46.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.62 DOP 386

$8.34 MX$144

-20.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 DOP 377

$8.34 MX$144

-22.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 DOP 651

$10.73 MX$186

4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 DOP 185

$2.60 MX$45.04

22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 DOP 33.55

$1.46 MX$25.20

-60.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 DOP 177

$1.90 MX$32.87

59.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 DOP 53.3

$2.08 MX$35.91

-56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 DOP 150

$1.78 MX$30.71

44.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 DOP 108

$2.19 MX$37.80

-15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 DOP 65.9

$1.04 MX$17.99

8.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.4

$1.08 MX$18.62

-10.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 DOP 337

$4.08 MX$70.6

41.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.62 DOP 620

$10.32 MX$178

2.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 DOP 159

$1.71 MX$29.61

59.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 DOP 184

$2.58 MX$44.54

22.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 DOP 202

$3.26 MX$56.4

6.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 DOP 129

$2.49 MX$43.09

-11.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 DOP 355

$3.25 MX$56.2

87.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 DOP 76.9

$1.31 MX$22.61

0.76%

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-11.15%

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

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

33.02%

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

$22.40 DOP 1,306

$82.9 MX$1,433

-72.97%

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

$25.15 DOP 1,467

$22.22 MX$384

13.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.63 DOP 1,495

$29.34 MX$507

-12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.05 DOP 1,286

$51.6 MX$893

-57.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 DOP 386

$5.07 MX$87.6

30.57%

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

$271 DOP 15.8K

$201 MX$3,473

35.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,018 DOP 467.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

53.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 DOP 3,441

$36.92 MX$639

59.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 DOP 3,014

$39.79 MX$688

29.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 DOP 5,664

$78.5 MX$1,357

23.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 DOP 6,737

$87.1 MX$1,506

32.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 DOP 6,995

$468 MX$8,090

-74.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.9

11.42

12.96%

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

Last update for Moca: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Moca versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Moca vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Moca 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $762 in Moca, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 70% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,143 per month in Moca and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $762 in Moca and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $271 per month in Moca and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Moca, where all-in costs run around $762, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Moca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $762 in Moca to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Moca. 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.