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 $620 per month in Moca vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Moca vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,369 per month in Moca vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moca is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moca and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Moca 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 DOP 500

$11.96 MX$203

-29.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.60 DOP 2,512

$47.38 MX$804

-10.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 DOP 418

$11.75 MX$199

-39.66%

Cappuccino

$1.80 DOP 106

$4.12 MX$70.0

-56.31%

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

$0.68 DOP 40.22

$1.40 MX$23.74

-51.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 DOP 24.51

$0.91 MX$15.48

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 DOP 154

$3.21 MX$54.4

-18.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 DOP 214

$7.07 MX$120

-48.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 71.1

$1.68 MX$28.44

-27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 DOP 90.3

$2.15 MX$36.48

-28.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 DOP 95.2

$1.77 MX$30.10

-9.04%

Eggs

$1.55 DOP 91.5

$2.82 MX$47.76

-45.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 DOP 376

$9.20 MX$156

-30.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 DOP 223

$9.23 MX$157

-59.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 DOP 279

$12.64 MX$214

-62.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 DOP 193

$2.95 MX$50.1

11.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 DOP 50.8

$1.58 MX$26.79

-45.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 DOP 167

$2.22 MX$37.70

27.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 DOP 110

$2.36 MX$40.09

-20.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 DOP 122

$1.99 MX$33.81

4.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 129

$1.98 MX$33.58

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 DOP 56.5

$1.24 MX$21.04

-22.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 DOP 58.0

$1.21 MX$20.55

-19.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 DOP 298

$4.60 MX$78.1

9.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 DOP 636

$10.52 MX$178

2.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 DOP 159

$1.69 MX$28.70

59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 DOP 177

$2.77 MX$47.06

8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 DOP 151

$5.24 MX$88.8

-50.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 DOP 138

$3.65 MX$61.9

-36.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 DOP 343

$5.78 MX$98.1

0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 79.6

$1.54 MX$26.09

-12.34%

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

$15.5K DOP 915.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-31.88%

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

$25.3K DOP 1.5M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-2.06%

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

$94.2 DOP 5,556

$90.7 MX$1,538

3.93%

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

$27.21 DOP 1,605

$25.19 MX$427

8.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.50 DOP 2,152

$31.75 MX$539

14.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 DOP 298

$4.86 MX$82.5

3.91%

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

$150 DOP 8,869

$226 MX$3,828

-33.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,622 DOP 331.5K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

34.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.80 DOP 1,580

$47.38 MX$804

-43.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.99 DOP 2,712

$43.45 MX$737

5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.8 DOP 3,704

$80.2 MX$1,361

-21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.2 DOP 4,023

$91.4 MX$1,550

-25.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-3.93%

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

Last update for Moca: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Moca versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $278 – making Moca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $620 in Moca, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 111% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $930 per month in Moca and $1,958 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 $620 in Moca and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Moca and $226 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 $620, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $620 in Moca to $1,305 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.