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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $922 per month in Moka vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,530 per month in Moka vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,137 per month in Moka vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moka is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moka and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Moka 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.31 MUR 295

$11.96 MX$203

-47.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.95 MUR 1,308

$47.38 MX$804

-41.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 MUR 317

$11.75 MX$199

-42.38%

Cappuccino

$4.25 MUR 199

$4.12 MX$70.0

3.16%

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

$1.06 MUR 49.50

$1.40 MX$23.74

-24.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MUR 15.45

$0.91 MX$15.48

-63.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MUR 127

$3.21 MX$54.4

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 MUR 154

$7.07 MX$120

-53.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.3

$1.68 MX$28.44

-13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MUR 43.41

$2.15 MX$36.48

-56.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MUR 77.7

$1.77 MX$30.10

-6.21%

Eggs

$3.14 MUR 147

$2.82 MX$47.76

11.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 MUR 496

$9.23 MX$157

14.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.06 MUR 705

$12.64 MX$214

19.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MUR 142

$2.95 MX$50.1

3.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MUR 78.7

$1.58 MX$26.79

6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 MUR 196

$2.22 MX$37.70

88.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 MUR 196

$2.36 MX$40.09

77.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 MUR 48.72

$1.99 MX$33.81

-47.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MUR 48.74

$1.98 MX$33.58

-47.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MUR 46.54

$1.24 MX$21.04

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MUR 26.65

$1.21 MX$20.55

-52.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 MUR 298

$4.60 MX$78.1

38.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 MUR 476

$10.52 MX$178

-3.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 MUR 103

$1.69 MX$28.70

30.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 MUR 107

$2.77 MX$47.06

-17.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MUR 152

$5.24 MX$88.8

-38.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MUR 75.4

$1.54 MX$26.09

4.55%

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

$25.8K MUR 1.2M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

13.34%

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

$42.4K MUR 2.0M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

64.36%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

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

$4.31 MUR 202

$25.19 MX$427

-82.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.87 MUR 1,117

$31.75 MX$539

-24.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.51 MUR 1,007

$68.8 MX$1,167

-68.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 MUR 275

$4.86 MX$82.5

20.78%

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

$127 MUR 5,939

$226 MX$3,828

-43.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 MUR 3,945

$47.38 MX$804

77.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.08 MUR 1,970

$43.45 MX$737

-3.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 MUR 4,439

$80.2 MX$1,361

18.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 MUR 3,664

$91.4 MX$1,550

-14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 MUR 24.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-52.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MUR 14.8K

$409 MX$6,933

-22.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 MUR 41.7K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$708 MUR 33.1K

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-44.77%

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)

$697 MUR 32.6K

$773 MX$13.1K

-9.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-47.60%

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

Last update for Moka: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in Moka versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Moka versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $278 – making Moka 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,384 per month in Moka and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Moka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $922 in Moka 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 $127 per month in Moka 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moka, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Moka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Moka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Moka. 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.