Cost of Living Comparison Between Moline, IL and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Moline, IL and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,252 per month in Moline, IL vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,204 per month in Moline, IL vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,156 per month in Moline, IL vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moline, IL costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moline, IL sits 65% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$11.60 MX$200

73.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 $66.0

$47.11 MX$811

40.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 $8.70

$11.88 MX$205

-26.77%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$3.98 MX$68.5

22.61%

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

$3.19 $3.19

$1.43 MX$24.58

123.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.82 MX$14.20

87.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.19 MX$54.9

26.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 $3.89

$6.79 MX$117

-42.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.68 MX$28.86

-44.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.20 MX$37.84

66.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.71 MX$29.42

158.48%

Eggs

$3.35 $3.35

$2.74 MX$47.21

22.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.82 $14.82

$9.58 MX$165

54.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$9.01 MX$155

29.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 $15.27

$12.81 MX$221

19.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.89 MX$49.75

65.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.50 MX$25.79

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.15 MX$37.00

85.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.26 MX$38.92

117.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.98 MX$34.11

46.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.99 MX$34.27

49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.23 MX$21.26

71.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.20 MX$20.61

96.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.60 $10.60

$4.55 MX$78.4

132.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.90 $14.90

$10.37 MX$179

43.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.62 MX$27.88

2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.88 MX$49.61

-38.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.60 MX$10.34

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.27 $32.27

$28.80 MX$496

12.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$5.39 MX$92.8

-23.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.73 MX$64.2

-45.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 $43.30

$5.77 MX$99.4

650.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.54 MX$26.46

-36.36%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$22.5K MX$388.4K

57.74%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$26.1K MX$448.8K

-9.29%

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

$212 $212

$91.4 MX$1,574

132.24%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$25.20 MX$434

111.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.3 $82.3

$31.24 MX$538

163.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 $50.3

$67.2 MX$1,158

-25.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.93 $37.93

$29.11 MX$501

30.30%

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$4.86 MX$83.8

212.76%

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

$1,756 $1,756

$224 MX$3,852

685.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

462.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 $63.5

$47.10 MX$811

34.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$44.29 MX$763

15.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$80.1 MX$1,380

12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 $81.4

$92.7 MX$1,596

-12.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 $985

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-7.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 $903

$390 MX$6,721

131.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 $1,449

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-32.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$1,272 MX$21.9K

5.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 $1,315

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-67.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 $1,322

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-79.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

11.45

-51.44%

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

Last update for Moline, IL: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Moline, IL versus $1,063 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Moline, IL versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $393 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Moline, IL vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moline, IL costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,377 per month in Moline, IL and $1,899 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Moline, IL and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,252 in Moline, IL and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Moline, IL at $2,252. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moline, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $2,252 in Moline, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moline, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.