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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $335 in Morena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $553 in Morena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $772 in Morena, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 275% more than Morena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Morena are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Morena 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.12 ₹204

465.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$11.84 ₹1,140

252.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.97 ₹382

170.78%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.48 ₹142

136.49%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.29 ₹27.99

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.11 ₹10.13

700.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.49 ₹144

97.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.16 ₹208

108.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.68 ₹65.9

110.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.42 ₹40.48

338.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.60 ₹57.4

161.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$0.97 ₹93.7

158.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$3.99 ₹384

107.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$2.76 ₹266

205.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.38 ₹133

89.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.46 ₹43.86

213.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.56 ₹53.8

250.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.39 ₹37.81

435.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.26 ₹25.12

611.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.30 ₹29.28

623.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.68 ₹65.4

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.32 ₹30.54

234.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.87 ₹373

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.57 ₹1,017

-3.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.69 ₹163

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.41 ₹329

-25.81%

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

$5.64 ₹543

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.30 ₹29.23

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$8.73 ₹841

198.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.56 ₹53.6

476.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.14 ₹110

183.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.14 ₹110

15.79%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$11.5K ₹1.1M

157.38%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$16.5K ₹1.6M

43.07%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$17.25 ₹1,660

375.42%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$3.16 ₹304

626.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$5.37 ₹517

460.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$4.78 ₹460

987.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$7.19 ₹692

157.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$2.95 ₹284

68.81%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$36.38 ₹3,502

442.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,553 ₹149.5K

243.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$23.12 ₹2,226

53.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$31.57 ₹3,039

27.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$39.08 ₹3,762

101.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$18.68 ₹1,799

376.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$126 ₹12.1K

652.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$75.2 ₹7,241

530.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$271 ₹26.1K

505.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$183 ₹17.7K

559.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,126 ₹108.4K

260.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$496 ₹47.7K

1205.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$264 ₹25.5K

147.25%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Morena: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $126 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 147% 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 $101 – 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 275%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $503 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.38 in Morena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 146% 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 $335, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.