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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $762 in Moca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,165 in Moca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,567 in Moca, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Moca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Moca are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Moca 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.71 DOP 508

34.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$51.2 DOP 2,984

-18.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.58 DOP 442

40.37%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.71 DOP 158

29.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.03 DOP 60.1

46.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.77 DOP 45.06

25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.62 DOP 153

12.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.03 DOP 293

-11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.07 DOP 62.6

28.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.32 DOP 77.1

43.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.56 DOP 90.9

5.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.34 DOP 78.3

87.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.62 DOP 386

25.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.46 DOP 377

29.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.16 DOP 651

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.18 DOP 185

-18.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.58 DOP 33.55

151.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.03 DOP 177

-37.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.91 DOP 53.3

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.57 DOP 150

-30.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.85 DOP 108

18.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.13 DOP 65.9

-7.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.97 DOP 56.4

11.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$5.78 DOP 337

-29.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.62 DOP 620

-2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.72 DOP 159

-37.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.16 DOP 184

-18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.47 DOP 202

-6.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.21 DOP 129

12.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.08 DOP 355

-46.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.32 DOP 76.9

-0.76%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

12.55%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.2K DOP 1.8M

-24.83%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$22.40 DOP 1,306

269.96%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$25.15 DOP 1,467

-11.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$25.63 DOP 1,495

14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$22.05 DOP 1,286

134.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$6.62 DOP 386

-23.41%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$271 DOP 15.8K

-26.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$8,018 DOP 467.7K

-35.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.0 DOP 3,441

-37.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$51.7 DOP 3,014

-22.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$97.1 DOP 5,664

-19.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$116 DOP 6,737

-24.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$120 DOP 6,995

290.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Moca: May 31, 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 $226 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $762 in Moca – roughly 70% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,143 in Moca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $271 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 $1,297. 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 $1,297 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.