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 $1,239 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $312 in Morena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $494 in Morena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,096 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $675 in Morena, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 297% more than Morena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Morena are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 8% lower, Morena 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$203

$3.05 ₹294

266.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$810

$16.49 ₹1,588

170.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$216

$1.52 ₹147

683.55%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$69.3

$0.41 ₹39.27

829.27%

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

$1.38 MX$24.97

$0.20 ₹19.22

590.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.46

$0.14 ₹13.53

471.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.6

$2.63 ₹254

18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$90.2

$3.04 ₹293

63.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.42

$0.67 ₹64.1

125.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.77

$0.45 ₹43.08

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.35

$0.50 ₹48.40

202.00%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.73

$1.16 ₹112

112.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$136

$4.74 ₹456

58.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

$3.48 ₹335

131.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$238

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.5

$1.44 ₹138

96.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.78

$0.44 ₹41.95

234.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.90

$0.54 ₹51.7

398.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.75

$0.42 ₹40.12

395.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.52

$0.32 ₹30.37

512.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.51

$0.27 ₹26.18

644.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.97

$0.32 ₹30.95

278.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.34

$0.28 ₹27.00

339.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$81.0

$2.12 ₹204

110.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$181

$10.35 ₹997

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.62

$2.14 ₹206

-23.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.8

$3.06 ₹295

-8.50%

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

$7.62 ₹734

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.50

$0.41 ₹39.44

41.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$514

$1.93 ₹186

1365.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$88.1

$0.54 ₹52.0

798.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.5

$0.25 ₹24.03

1300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$103

$1.02 ₹98.1

453.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.43

$1.05 ₹101

39.05%

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

$21.4K MX$388.4K

$14.5K ₹1.4M

47.33%

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

$24.0K MX$435.6K

$23.4K ₹2.3M

2.45%

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

$86.3 MX$1,568

$42.22 ₹4,065

104.48%

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

$23.96 MX$435

$4.62 ₹445

418.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$525

$7.84 ₹755

269.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,174

$6.84 ₹659

845.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$528

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$93.1

$3.06 ₹294

67.65%

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

$211 MX$3,838

$35.34 ₹3,403

498.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.4K

$635 ₹61.1K

537.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$803

$29.91 ₹2,881

47.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$787

$28.04 ₹2,701

54.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,396

$55.8 ₹5,375

37.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,605

$48.51 ₹4,671

82.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,874

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$32.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$116.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$14.0K

$257 ₹24.7K

199.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.76

30.71%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Last update for Morena: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 199% 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 $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Morena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $107 – 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 297%, 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 $1,859 per month in Playa del Carmen and $468 in Morena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Playa del Carmen and $35.34 in Morena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 145% 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 $312, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,239. 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.