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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,121 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,697 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,273 in Maputo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Maputo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maputo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Maputo 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.25 MZN 585

26.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$48.78 MZN 3,086

-14.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.33 MZN 527

27.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.07 MZN 131

70.05%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.76 MZN 47.93

98.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.58 MZN 36.76

67.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.42 MZN 89.9

107.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$1.59 MZN 101

179.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.59 MZN 100

-13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.09 MZN 68.9

73.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.68 MZN 106

-2.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.45 MZN 155

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$15.25 MZN 964

-45.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.22 MZN 330

59.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.17 MZN 327

107.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.92 MZN 121

35.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.92 MZN 58.3

58.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.33 MZN 84.1

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.91 MZN 57.7

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.92 MZN 58.0

93.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.71 MZN 44.90

208.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.93 MZN 58.6

11.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.79 MZN 49.88

36.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.63 MZN 166

55.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$9.24 MZN 584

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.97 MZN 61.3

76.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.43 MZN 90.2

80.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.36 MZN 22.81

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$13.19 MZN 834

100.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.59 MZN 100

105.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.01 MZN 190

-17.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$24.06 MZN 1,522

-86.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.33 MZN 84.2

-1.50%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-14.71%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$19.6K MZN 1.2M

19.64%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$90.0 MZN 5,689

-7.87%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$14.38 MZN 909

54.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$106 MZN 6,682

-72.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$41.51 MZN 2,626

24.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$26.30 MZN 1,663

-30.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$7.61 MZN 481

-33.38%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$183 MZN 11.6K

9.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,793 MZN 366.4K

-10.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$49.38 MZN 3,123

-25.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$62.8 MZN 3,969

-36.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$82.6 MZN 5,227

-5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$78.5 MZN 4,965

10.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$604 MZN 38.2K

61.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$345 MZN 21.8K

35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,139 MZN 72.0K

44.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$623 MZN 39.4K

96.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,138 MZN 261.7K

-4.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,092 MZN 132.3K

210.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$329 MZN 20.8K

101.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

24.33

-53.06%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Maputo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $604 in Maputo. 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 102% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Maputo. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $199 in Maputo – so Maputo 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,121 in Maputo – roughly 16% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,682 in Maputo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maputo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $183 in Maputo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maputo, where all-in costs run around $1,121, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Maputo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,121 in Maputo to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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