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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $762 in Moca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,166 in Moca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,570 in Moca, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Moca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Moca are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Moca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$8.58 DOP 500

39.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$51.1 DOP 2,980

-18.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.19 DOP 420

49.51%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.75 DOP 160

27.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.02 DOP 59.8

42.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.78 DOP 45.70

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.54 DOP 148

16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$5.11 DOP 298

-11.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.09 DOP 63.5

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.32 DOP 76.9

39.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.54 DOP 90.0

1.95%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.32 DOP 77.2

90.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.66 DOP 389

24.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.21 DOP 362

35.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.87 DOP 634

-1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.30 DOP 192

-20.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.57 DOP 33.41

152.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.90 DOP 169

-32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.92 DOP 53.4

127.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.43 DOP 142

-23.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.92 DOP 112

13.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.12 DOP 65.6

-8.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.97 DOP 56.6

10.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$5.75 DOP 336

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.68 DOP 622

-4.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.65 DOP 154

-36.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.09 DOP 180

-18.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$3.50 DOP 204

-7.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$2.18 DOP 127

10.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.98 DOP 349

-45.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.30 DOP 75.6

1.54%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.2K DOP 1.5M

13.53%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$32.1K DOP 1.9M

-26.29%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$22.14 DOP 1,291

270.42%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$25.73 DOP 1,500

-10.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$24.98 DOP 1,457

20.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$21.92 DOP 1,278

137.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.60 DOP 385

-24.55%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$265 DOP 15.4K

-25.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$8,135 DOP 474.4K

-34.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$61.2 DOP 3,567

-41.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$51.5 DOP 3,000

-21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$97.9 DOP 5,709

-19.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$114 DOP 6,619

-21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$118 DOP 6,904

300.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.9

-11.47%

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 Moca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $51.0 in Moca. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $223 in Moca – so Moca 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 Moca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $762 in Moca – roughly 65% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,142 in Moca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $762 in Moca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $265 in Moca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Moca, where all-in costs run around $762, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Moca 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 $762 in Moca to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Moca. 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.