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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $380 in Morogoro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $640 in Morogoro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $900 in Morogoro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 244% more than Morogoro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Morogoro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Morogoro 72% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$1.90 TZS 5,001
529.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$805
$18.57 TZS 48.8K
155.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$200
$8.45 TZS 22.2K
39.05%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.1
$1.96 TZS 5,163
110.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.78
$0.38 TZS 989
268.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.50
$0.22 TZS 579
313.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.5
$0.98 TZS 2,587
227.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$1.93 TZS 5,081
266.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.49
$0.72 TZS 1,883
133.33%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.53
$0.37 TZS 967
481.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.14
$0.99 TZS 2,596
78.79%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.83
$1.87 TZS 4,916
50.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$9.30 TZS 24.4K
-1.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$4.64 TZS 12.2K
98.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$215
$3.76 TZS 9,882
236.17%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$1.11 TZS 2,926
165.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.83
$0.54 TZS 1,432
192.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.76
$0.59 TZS 1,557
276.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.15
$0.37 TZS 965
537.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.86
$0.79 TZS 2,084
151.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.63
$0.56 TZS 1,468
253.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.07
$0.84 TZS 2,202
47.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.58
$0.25 TZS 652
384.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.2
$1.52 TZS 4,003
202.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$179
$5.05 TZS 13.3K
108.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.74
$0.74 TZS 1,933
128.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.13
$1.51 TZS 3,962
83.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.24
$0.31 TZS 822
93.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$505
$8.35 TZS 21.9K
255.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$89.0
$1.61 TZS 4,220
225.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$62.0
$0.59 TZS 1,544
518.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.3
$13.41 TZS 35.3K
-56.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.13
$0.79 TZS 2,078
94.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$387.4K
$16.6K TZS 43.7M
37.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$438.5K
$26.3K TZS 69.1M
-1.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,540
$56.0 TZS 147.2K
61.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$428
$9.04 TZS 23.8K
178.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$34.42 TZS 90.5K
-7.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,169
$11.54 TZS 30.3K
496.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$499
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.6
$4.95 TZS 13.0K
-1.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,834
$579 TZS 1.5M
-61.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.2K
$7,591 TZS 20.0M
-44.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$805
$7.60 TZS 20.0K
523.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$738
$26.34 TZS 69.3K
64.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,363
$44.66 TZS 117.4K
79.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,552
$18.60 TZS 48.9K
391.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$75.0 TZS 197.3K
1346.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,943
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$191 TZS 503.4K
929.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.8K
$94.4 TZS 248.3K
1256.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Morogoro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
$309 TZS 811.2K
150.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
18.25
-37.26%

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 Morogoro: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.0 in Morogoro. 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 151% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Morogoro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $124 – making Morogoro 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 Morogoro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Morogoro?
Playa del Carmen costs about 244% more than Morogoro, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Morogoro?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $570 in Morogoro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Morogoro?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Morogoro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Morogoro?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $19.00 in Morogoro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Morogoro?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $380 in Morogoro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Morogoro?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Morogoro, where all-in costs run around $380, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Morogoro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Morogoro?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Morogoro costs $380 versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Morogoro?
If budget matters most, go with Morogoro. 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.

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