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 $1,461 per month in Moroni vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,156 per month in Moroni vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,851 per month in Moroni vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moroni costs about 15% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.41 KMF 2,736
$11.60 MX$200
-44.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.69 KMF 8,397
$47.11 MX$812
-58.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.23 KMF 3,511
$11.88 MX$205
-30.72%
Cappuccino
$1.77 KMF 757
$3.98 MX$68.6
-55.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 KMF 449
$1.43 MX$24.60
-26.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 KMF 275
$0.82 MX$14.22
-20.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.08 KMF 461
$3.19 MX$55.0
-66.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 KMF 829
$6.79 MX$117
-71.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.47 KMF 1,908
$1.68 MX$28.89
166.07%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 KMF 239
$2.20 MX$37.88
-74.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 KMF 756
$1.71 MX$29.45
3.51%
Eggs
$5.06 KMF 2,157
$2.74 MX$47.26
84.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.74 KMF 3,300
$9.58 MX$165
-19.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$9.01 MX$155
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.68 KMF 5,408
$12.81 MX$221
-1.01%
Apples (1kg)
$5.23 KMF 2,232
$2.89 MX$49.81
80.97%
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.50 MX$25.81
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.15 MX$37.03
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.33 KMF 1,846
$2.26 MX$38.96
91.59%
Potato (1kg)
$4.77 KMF 2,034
$1.98 MX$34.15
140.91%
Onion (1kg)
$3.17 KMF 1,351
$1.99 MX$34.30
59.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.33 KMF 996
$1.23 MX$21.28
89.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 KMF 563
$1.20 MX$20.63
10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.55 MX$78.5
-
Wine (Bottle)
$17.50 KMF 7,465
$10.37 MX$179
68.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 KMF 397
$1.62 MX$27.91
-42.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.74 KMF 2,875
$2.88 MX$49.67
134.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 KMF 270
$0.60 MX$10.35
5.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$32.87 KMF 14.0K
$28.80 MX$497
14.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.67 KMF 285
$5.39 MX$92.9
-87.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 KMF 425
$3.73 MX$64.3
-73.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.86 KMF 5,059
$5.77 MX$99.5
105.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.09 KMF 1,319
$1.54 MX$26.48
100.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K KMF 8.3M
$22.5K MX$388.8K
-13.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.9K KMF 7.6M
$26.1K MX$449.3K
-31.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 KMF 50.1K
$91.4 MX$1,576
28.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.34 KMF 15.1K
$25.20 MX$435
40.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.8 KMF 31.9K
$31.24 MX$539
139.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$67.2 MX$1,159
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.07 KMF 6,003
$29.11 MX$502
-51.67%
Cinema Ticket
$6.59 KMF 2,810
$4.86 MX$83.8
35.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$407 KMF 173.5K
$224 MX$3,856
81.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.4K KMF 6.1M
$4,229 MX$72.9K
239.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6 KMF 27.1K
$47.10 MX$812
34.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.4 KMF 26.2K
$44.29 MX$764
38.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 KMF 49.2K
$80.1 MX$1,381
43.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 KMF 36.9K
$92.7 MX$1,598
-6.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 KMF 314.3K
$1,063 MX$18.3K
-30.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$619 KMF 263.9K
$390 MX$6,728
58.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,442 KMF 615.1K
$2,149 MX$37.1K
-32.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,175 KMF 501.0K
$1,272 MX$21.9K
-7.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,645 KMF 701.7K
$4,001 MX$69.0K
-58.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,399 KMF 596.8K
$6,502 MX$112.1K
-78.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moroni
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$683 KMF 291.2K
$758 MX$13.1K
-9.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
11.45
-66.81%

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

Last update for Moroni: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Moroni 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.

Salaries run about 11% 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 $20.00 in Moroni versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Moroni vs $276 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 15%, 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 $2,192 per month in Moroni and $1,899 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 in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 4% 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 in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Moroni and $47.00 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 living in Moroni or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Moroni at $1,461. 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.

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