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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $620 in Moca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $995 in Moca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,369 in Moca, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% more than Moca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Moca are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Moca 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$8.47 DOP 500

41.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$42.60 DOP 2,512

11.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.09 DOP 418

65.73%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.80 DOP 106

128.89%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.68 DOP 40.22

105.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.42 DOP 24.51

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.62 DOP 154

22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.62 DOP 214

95.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.21 DOP 71.1

38.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.53 DOP 90.3

40.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.61 DOP 95.2

9.94%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.55 DOP 91.5

81.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.37 DOP 376

44.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.77 DOP 223

144.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$4.74 DOP 279

166.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.28 DOP 193

-10.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.86 DOP 50.8

83.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.82 DOP 167

-21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.87 DOP 110

26.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.07 DOP 122

-3.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.20 DOP 129

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.96 DOP 56.5

29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.98 DOP 58.0

23.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.05 DOP 298

-8.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.79 DOP 636

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.70 DOP 159

-37.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.00 DOP 177

-7.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.57 DOP 151

103.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.33 DOP 138

56.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.82 DOP 343

-0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.35 DOP 79.6

14.07%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$15.5K DOP 915.7K

46.81%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.3K DOP 1.5M

2.11%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$94.2 DOP 5,556

-3.78%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$27.21 DOP 1,605

-7.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$36.50 DOP 2,152

-13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.05 DOP 298

-3.76%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$150 DOP 8,869

50.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$5,622 DOP 331.5K

-25.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$26.80 DOP 1,580

76.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$45.99 DOP 2,712

-5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$62.8 DOP 3,704

27.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$68.2 DOP 4,023

33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

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)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.09%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Moca: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Moca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $202 – making Moca 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $620 in Moca – roughly 111% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $930 in Moca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $620 in Moca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $150 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 $620, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $620 in Moca to $1,305 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.