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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $341 in Morena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $544 in Morena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $748 in Morena, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 280% more than Morena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Morena are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Morena 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.07 ₹198

466.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$11.52 ₹1,102

261.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.04 ₹387

163.37%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.54 ₹147

128.57%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.29 ₹27.80

420.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.12 ₹11.08

708.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.49 ₹142

97.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.22 ₹213

100.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.67 ₹63.9

105.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.43 ₹40.96

339.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.56 ₹53.5

192.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.01 ₹96.9

148.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.85 ₹368

116.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.85 ₹272

192.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.37 ₹131

89.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.45 ₹43.39

224.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.56 ₹53.3

239.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.42 ₹40.47

395.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.26 ₹24.90

584.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.33 ₹31.99

563.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.68 ₹64.7

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.34 ₹32.91

217.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.86 ₹370

5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$11.42 ₹1,092

-9.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.73 ₹165

-1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.33 ₹319

-22.52%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.77 ₹552

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.30 ₹29.12

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$8.55 ₹819

209.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.60 ₹57.5

443.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.19 ₹114

173.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.14 ₹109

14.91%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$11.4K ₹1.1M

164.55%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$16.8K ₹1.6M

39.14%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$17.38 ₹1,663

376.81%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$3.09 ₹296

619.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$5.51 ₹527

432.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$4.62 ₹442

1017.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.13 ₹683

156.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$2.86 ₹274

77.27%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$36.69 ₹3,511

447.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,530 ₹146.5K

240.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$22.98 ₹2,199

60.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$30.79 ₹2,947

29.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$39.08 ₹3,740

100.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$18.68 ₹1,787

366.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$124 ₹11.8K

686.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$76.7 ₹7,344

509.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$277 ₹26.6K

491.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$177 ₹16.9K

590.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$840 ₹80.4K

369.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$570 ₹54.5K

1040.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$257 ₹24.6K

158.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.4

35.95%

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 Morena: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $124 in Morena. 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 158% 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 $12.00 in Morena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $103 – making Morena 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 Morena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 280%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $512 in Morena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Morena, 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 $36.69 in Morena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 141% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Morena, where all-in costs run around $341, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Morena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Morena – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Morena. 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.