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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,093 in Maputo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,692 in Maputo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,291 in Maputo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 15% 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 6% lower, Maputo 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$9.58 MZN 606

25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$49.65 MZN 3,139

-15.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.57 MZN 542

25.44%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.13 MZN 134

64.32%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.77 MZN 48.46

88.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.58 MZN 36.40

51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.39 MZN 88.1

112.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.52 MZN 96.1

196.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.56 MZN 98.8

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.10 MZN 69.4

67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.62 MZN 103

-3.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.42 MZN 153

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$15.16 MZN 958

-45.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.33 MZN 337

58.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.18 MZN 327

106.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.95 MZN 123

33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.93 MZN 58.8

54.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.39 MZN 87.7

41.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.98 MZN 61.9

113.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.98 MZN 61.7

88.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.68 MZN 42.70

219.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.93 MZN 58.8

10.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.76 MZN 48.04

40.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.65 MZN 167

54.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.86 MZN 560

14.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.01 MZN 63.9

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.43 MZN 90.5

76.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.34 MZN 21.33

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$13.25 MZN 838

96.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.54 MZN 97.3

109.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$3.01 MZN 190

-19.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$24.17 MZN 1,528

-86.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.37 MZN 86.6

-3.65%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.5K MZN 2.2M

-16.25%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.0K MZN 1.3M

18.12%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$89.8 MZN 5,675

-8.64%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$14.28 MZN 903

60.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$108 MZN 6,807

-72.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$41.17 MZN 2,603

26.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$25.70 MZN 1,625

-27.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.62 MZN 482

-34.65%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$181 MZN 11.4K

9.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,673 MZN 358.6K

-5.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$49.58 MZN 3,134

-28.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$61.6 MZN 3,895

-34.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$81.7 MZN 5,165

-3.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$78.7 MZN 4,976

12.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$607 MZN 38.4K

55.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$338 MZN 21.4K

40.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,117 MZN 70.6K

47.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$623 MZN 39.4K

94.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$4,241 MZN 268.1K

-4.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,045 MZN 129.3K

216.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$332 MZN 21.0K

97.16%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maputo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $607 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 97% 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 $50.0 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,093 in Maputo – roughly 15% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,640 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $181 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 $1,093, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,093 in Maputo to $1,256 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.