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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Moca vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,570 per month in Moca vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moca is about 39% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 DOP 500

$11.99 MX$210

-28.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 DOP 2,980

$41.78 MX$733

22.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 DOP 420

$10.75 MX$189

-33.12%

Cappuccino

$2.75 DOP 160

$3.50 MX$61.3

-21.43%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.8

$1.45 MX$25.41

-29.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 DOP 45.70

$0.88 MX$15.52

-11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 DOP 148

$2.95 MX$51.7

-13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 DOP 298

$4.51 MX$79.1

13.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 DOP 63.5

$1.43 MX$25.12

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 DOP 76.9

$1.84 MX$32.23

-28.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 DOP 90.0

$1.57 MX$27.51

-1.91%

Eggs

$1.32 DOP 77.2

$2.51 MX$44.06

-47.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.66 DOP 389

$8.28 MX$145

-19.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 DOP 362

$8.43 MX$148

-26.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 DOP 634

$10.68 MX$187

1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 DOP 192

$2.61 MX$45.76

26.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 DOP 33.41

$1.44 MX$25.22

-60.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 DOP 169

$1.96 MX$34.41

47.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 DOP 53.4

$2.09 MX$36.74

-55.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 DOP 142

$1.85 MX$32.47

31.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 DOP 112

$2.17 MX$38.02

-11.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 DOP 65.6

$1.03 MX$18.09

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 DOP 56.6

$1.07 MX$18.84

-9.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 DOP 336

$4.10 MX$72.0

40.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.68 DOP 622

$10.17 MX$178

5.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 DOP 154

$1.68 MX$29.38

57.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 DOP 180

$2.53 MX$44.31

22.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 DOP 204

$3.23 MX$56.7

8.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 DOP 127

$2.41 MX$42.19

-9.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 DOP 349

$3.23 MX$56.6

85.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 DOP 75.6

$1.32 MX$23.17

-1.52%

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

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-11.92%

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

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

35.67%

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

$22.14 DOP 1,291

$82.0 MX$1,439

-73.00%

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

$25.73 DOP 1,500

$22.95 MX$403

12.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.98 DOP 1,457

$30.11 MX$528

-17.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.92 DOP 1,278

$52.0 MX$912

-57.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 DOP 385

$4.98 MX$87.3

32.53%

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

$265 DOP 15.4K

$197 MX$3,463

34.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,135 DOP 474.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

52.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 DOP 3,567

$35.60 MX$624

71.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 DOP 3,000

$40.33 MX$707

27.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 DOP 5,709

$78.8 MX$1,381

24.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 DOP 6,619

$88.9 MX$1,560

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 DOP 6,904

$474 MX$8,314

-75.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 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 – $223 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, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 65% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,142 per month in Moca and $1,884 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $265 per month in Moca and $197 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 $1,256. 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 $1,256 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.