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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,516 per month in Moroni vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,242 per month in Moroni vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,968 per month in Moroni vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moroni costs about 20% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moroni sits 13% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.43 KMF 2,697
$11.67 MX$202
-44.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.36 KMF 8,124
$41.88 MX$726
-53.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.33 KMF 3,495
$10.40 MX$180
-19.90%
Cappuccino
$1.85 KMF 777
$3.61 MX$62.6
-48.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 KMF 441
$1.47 MX$25.45
-28.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 KMF 295
$0.91 MX$15.80
-23.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.05 KMF 440
$3.03 MX$52.6
-65.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 KMF 826
$4.47 MX$77.4
-55.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.58 KMF 1,920
$1.38 MX$23.83
231.88%
White Bread (500g)
$0.58 KMF 242
$1.84 MX$31.93
-68.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 KMF 719
$1.61 MX$27.82
6.21%
Eggs
$5.12 KMF 2,148
$2.57 MX$44.52
99.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.13 KMF 3,410
$8.49 MX$147
-4.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$8.49 MX$147
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.65 KMF 5,311
$10.99 MX$190
15.10%
Apples (1kg)
$5.32 KMF 2,234
$2.73 MX$47.25
94.87%
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.50 MX$25.92
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.96 MX$33.93
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.25 KMF 1,783
$2.12 MX$36.70
100.47%
Potato (1kg)
$4.54 KMF 1,903
$1.86 MX$32.30
144.09%
Onion (1kg)
$3.22 KMF 1,352
$2.17 MX$37.67
48.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.32 KMF 974
$1.07 MX$18.59
116.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 KMF 552
$1.05 MX$18.18
25.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.19 MX$72.6
-
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 KMF 7,533
$10.28 MX$178
74.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 KMF 400
$1.67 MX$28.87
-43.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.76 KMF 2,838
$2.49 MX$43.12
171.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 KMF 252
$0.54 MX$9.37
11.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.75 KMF 13.7K
$26.27 MX$455
24.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.73 KMF 305
$3.10 MX$53.8
-76.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 KMF 386
$2.46 MX$42.66
-62.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.28 KMF 5,155
$3.24 MX$56.1
279.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.03 KMF 1,270
$1.26 MX$21.83
140.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K KMF 8.3M
$30.2K MX$522.8K
-34.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.9K KMF 7.5M
$23.4K MX$406.3K
-23.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 KMF 48.2K
$84.0 MX$1,456
36.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.13 KMF 14.7K
$22.21 MX$385
58.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$75.0 KMF 31.5K
$29.65 MX$514
153.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.00 KMF 15.1K
$52.6 MX$912
-31.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.72 KMF 5,755
$18.34 MX$318
-25.19%
Cinema Ticket
$6.70 KMF 2,811
$4.95 MX$85.7
35.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$414 KMF 173.8K
$198 MX$3,438
108.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.5K KMF 6.1M
$5,322 MX$92.2K
171.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.7 KMF 26.3K
$35.95 MX$623
74.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.4 KMF 25.8K
$40.06 MX$694
53.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 KMF 47.7K
$78.8 MX$1,365
44.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.9 KMF 36.9K
$86.5 MX$1,499
1.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$746 KMF 313.2K
$977 MX$16.9K
-23.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$626 KMF 262.9K
$471 MX$8,158
33.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,471 KMF 617.4K
$1,595 MX$27.6K
-7.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 KMF 502.4K
$1,215 MX$21.1K
-1.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,641 KMF 688.5K
$4,032 MX$69.9K
-59.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,398 KMF 586.5K
$6,579 MX$114.0K
-78.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$683 KMF 286.8K
$714 MX$12.4K
-4.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
11.42
-66.73%

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

Last update for Moroni: April 19, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $746 in Moroni versus $977 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 4% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Moroni versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Moroni vs $252 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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
Moroni vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Moroni?
Yes – Moroni is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,274 per month in Moroni and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Moroni and Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Moroni, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Moroni or Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Moroni and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Moroni or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Moroni at $1,516. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moroni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Moroni or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moroni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Moroni vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities