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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,530 per month in Moss vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,841 per month in Moss vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,152 per month in Moss vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moss costs about 96% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moss sits 84% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.05 NOK 196
$11.71 MX$198
79.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.0 NOK 753
$46.59 MX$787
73.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.00 NOK 130
$11.65 MX$197
20.17%
Cappuccino
$5.05 NOK 46.93
$4.09 MX$69.2
23.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 NOK 31.02
$1.37 MX$23.23
143.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 NOK 25.12
$0.83 MX$14.09
225.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.99 NOK 65.0
$3.35 MX$56.7
108.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.45 NOK 78.6
$6.91 MX$117
22.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.46 NOK 22.84
$1.73 MX$29.19
42.20%
White Bread (500g)
$3.82 NOK 35.50
$2.26 MX$38.20
69.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 NOK 35.00
$1.77 MX$29.90
112.43%
Eggs
$3.51 NOK 32.68
$2.73 MX$46.18
28.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.30 NOK 124
$9.18 MX$155
44.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.21 NOK 123
$8.92 MX$151
48.09%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.65 NOK 257
$12.60 MX$213
119.44%
Apples (1kg)
$3.45 NOK 32.05
$3.02 MX$51.1
14.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.52 NOK 23.46
$1.57 MX$26.54
60.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.99 NOK 27.84
$2.13 MX$35.92
40.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.95 NOK 55.3
$2.26 MX$38.27
163.27%
Potato (1kg)
$2.29 NOK 21.25
$2.00 MX$33.87
14.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 NOK 23.66
$2.06 MX$34.89
23.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.62 NOK 24.35
$1.18 MX$19.94
122.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 NOK 23.41
$1.20 MX$20.35
110.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.26 NOK 142
$4.63 MX$78.3
229.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.05 NOK 149
$10.69 MX$181
50.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.70 NOK 25.06
$1.62 MX$27.37
66.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 NOK 35.78
$2.88 MX$48.69
33.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.75 NOK 44.13
$0.57 MX$9.69
733.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.8 NOK 826
$29.83 MX$504
197.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.74 NOK 99.9
$5.45 MX$92.1
97.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.85 NOK 17.20
$3.70 MX$62.6
-50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$47.21 NOK 439
$5.98 MX$101
689.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.33 NOK 21.67
$1.55 MX$26.25
50.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.1K NOK 400.8K
$22.3K MX$377.3K
93.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.7K NOK 387.8K
$25.9K MX$438.5K
60.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$309 NOK 2,869
$89.1 MX$1,506
246.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.42 NOK 311
$25.04 MX$423
33.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.6 NOK 526
$31.50 MX$532
79.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.47 NOK 376
$67.8 MX$1,145
-40.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.40 NOK 329
$28.92 MX$489
22.41%
Cinema Ticket
$19.07 NOK 177
$5.05 MX$85.3
277.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$253 NOK 2,350
$225 MX$3,802
12.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,762 NOK 35.0K
$4,222 MX$71.4K
-10.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 NOK 940
$47.44 MX$802
113.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.2 NOK 569
$44.98 MX$760
35.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 NOK 1,002
$82.0 MX$1,386
31.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 NOK 1,320
$92.1 MX$1,556
54.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,245 NOK 11.6K
$1,069 MX$18.1K
16.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$955 NOK 8,879
$405 MX$6,850
135.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,158 NOK 20.1K
$1,935 MX$32.7K
11.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,626 NOK 15.1K
$1,301 MX$22.0K
24.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,271 NOK 49.0K
$3,995 MX$67.5K
31.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,133 NOK 38.4K
$6,626 MX$112.0K
-37.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moss
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,506 NOK 41.9K
$749 MX$12.7K
501.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
11.45
-56.68%

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

Last update for Moss: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,245 in Moss versus $1,069 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 502% higher in Moss, 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 $81.0 in Moss versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $277 – 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
Moss vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Moss or Playa del Carmen?
Moss costs about 96% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Moss and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,796 per month in Moss and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Moss or Playa del Carmen?
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 much does it cost to live in Moss compared to Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,530 in Moss and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How expensive is transport in Moss compared to Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 198% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Moss or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Moss at $2,530. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Moss or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $2,530 in Moss. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Moss compared to Playa del Carmen?
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.
Should I move to Moss or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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