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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,157 per month in Mosta vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,255 per month in Mosta vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,352 per month in Mosta vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mosta costs about 65% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mosta sits 56% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.14

$11.96 MX$203

46.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.8 €80.8

$47.38 MX$804

97.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 €11.12

$11.75 MX$199

9.79%

Cappuccino

$2.48 €2.14

$4.12 MX$70.0

-39.81%

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

$2.10 €1.81

$1.40 MX$23.74

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

$0.91 MX$15.48

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 €2.48

$3.21 MX$54.4

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 €4.53

$7.07 MX$120

-25.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.68 MX$28.44

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 €1.27

$2.15 MX$36.48

-31.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 €3.07

$1.77 MX$30.10

101.13%

Eggs

$3.40 €2.93

$2.82 MX$47.76

20.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 €9.14

$9.20 MX$156

15.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.72 €10.96

$9.23 MX$157

37.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.59 €9.99

$12.64 MX$214

-8.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 €3.47

$2.95 MX$50.1

36.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$1.58 MX$26.79

84.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.22 MX$37.70

-5.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.36

$2.36 MX$40.09

64.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.99 MX$33.81

-11.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$1.98 MX$33.58

35.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.24 MX$21.04

86.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 €0.57

$1.21 MX$20.55

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.65 €5.73

$4.60 MX$78.1

44.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 €5.23

$10.52 MX$178

-42.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.69 MX$28.70

-26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.77 MX$47.06

-14.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 €2.56

$0.60 MX$10.22

395.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 €3.46

$5.24 MX$88.8

-23.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 €1.65

$3.65 MX$61.9

-47.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.33 €25.29

$5.78 MX$98.1

407.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.54 MX$26.09

1.95%

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

$29.4K €25.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

28.92%

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

$41.0K €35.3K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

58.68%

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

$123 €106

$90.7 MX$1,538

35.38%

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

$25.68 €22.14

$25.19 MX$427

1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.80 €26.55

$31.75 MX$539

-2.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.8 €66.2

$68.8 MX$1,167

11.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.78 €29.98

$29.37 MX$498

18.42%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 €9.95

$4.86 MX$82.5

137.65%

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

$289 €249

$226 MX$3,828

28.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K €11.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

208.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 €65.4

$47.38 MX$804

60.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.1 €54.4

$43.45 MX$737

45.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €100.0

$80.2 MX$1,361

44.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$91.4 MX$1,550

50.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 €1,090

$1,086 MX$18.4K

16.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 €944

$409 MX$6,933

167.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 €1,762

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 €1,454

$1,281 MX$21.7K

31.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,890 €1,629

$773 MX$13.1K

144.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.05

11.45

-64.63%

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

Last update for Mosta: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,264 in Mosta versus $1,086 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 144% higher in Mosta, 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 $94.0 in Mosta versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $278 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,157 in Mosta, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 65% apart. Mosta costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,236 per month in Mosta and $1,958 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 $94.0 in Mosta and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Mosta, 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Mosta at $2,157. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mosta it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $2,157 in Mosta. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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