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 $938 per month in Moka vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,584 per month in Moka vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,230 per month in Moka vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moka is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Moka and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Moka 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 MUR 309

$11.73 MX$203

-44.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 MUR 2,090

$41.62 MX$720

6.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 MUR 314

$10.64 MX$184

-37.59%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 122

$3.52 MX$60.9

-26.99%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.79

$1.51 MX$26.12

-37.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 MUR 28.60

$0.97 MX$16.84

-37.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 MUR 102

$2.95 MX$51.0

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MUR 130

$4.45 MX$77.0

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MUR 67.5

$1.38 MX$23.93

3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 31.35

$1.89 MX$32.72

-65.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MUR 60.2

$1.64 MX$28.32

-22.56%

Eggs

$2.27 MUR 107

$2.51 MX$43.34

-9.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 MUR 459

$8.34 MX$144

16.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 MUR 285

$8.34 MX$144

-27.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 MUR 487

$10.73 MX$186

-3.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.9

$2.60 MX$45.04

-23.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 91.1

$1.46 MX$25.20

32.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.4

$1.90 MX$32.87

-23.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 MUR 128

$2.08 MX$35.91

29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 MUR 48.60

$1.78 MX$30.71

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 47.11

$2.19 MX$37.80

-54.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 MUR 39.29

$1.04 MX$17.99

-20.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 MUR 22.35

$1.08 MX$18.62

-56.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 MUR 282

$4.08 MX$70.6

46.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 MUR 388

$10.32 MX$178

-20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 84.1

$1.71 MX$29.61

4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MUR 78.6

$2.58 MX$44.54

-35.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 47.18

$0.51 MX$8.81

96.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.16 MUR 622

$26.46 MX$458

-50.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 MUR 127

$3.26 MX$56.4

-17.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 129

$2.49 MX$43.09

9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.33 MUR 724

$3.25 MX$56.2

371.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 MUR 65.3

$1.31 MX$22.61

5.34%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

16.55%

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

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

23.41%

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

$48.75 MUR 2,303

$82.9 MX$1,433

-41.17%

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

$18.01 MUR 851

$22.22 MX$384

-18.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.82 MUR 1,267

$29.34 MX$507

-8.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.30 MUR 1,148

$51.6 MX$893

-52.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 MUR 293

$5.07 MX$87.6

22.29%

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

$153 MUR 7,243

$201 MX$3,473

-23.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,980 MUR 188.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-23.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MUR 3,647

$36.92 MX$639

109.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.63 MUR 1,731

$39.79 MX$688

-7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 MUR 4,390

$78.5 MX$1,357

18.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 MUR 2,643

$87.1 MX$1,506

-35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 MUR 24.4K

$973 MX$16.8K

-46.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 MUR 15.5K

$468 MX$8,090

-30.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MUR 44.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-42.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$705 MUR 33.3K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-42.22%

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)

$321 MUR 15.2K

$664 MX$11.5K

-51.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.42

-45.27%

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

Last update for Moka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $516 in Moka versus $973 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 107% 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 $44.00 in Moka versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Moka vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Moka 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,406 per month in Moka and $1,945 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.

Kindergarten costs $153 per month in Moka and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moka, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.