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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,516 in Moroni, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,242 in Moroni, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,968 in Moroni, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 17% cheaper than Moroni, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Moroni is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67 MX$202
$6.43 KMF 2,697
81.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88 MX$726
$19.36 KMF 8,124
116.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.40 MX$180
$8.33 KMF 3,495
24.85%
Cappuccino
$3.61 MX$62.6
$1.85 KMF 777
95.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47 MX$25.45
$1.05 KMF 441
40.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.80
$0.70 KMF 295
30.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$1.05 KMF 440
188.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47 MX$77.4
$1.97 KMF 826
126.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.83
$4.58 KMF 1,920
-69.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 MX$31.93
$0.58 KMF 242
217.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.82
$1.71 KMF 719
-5.85%
Eggs
$2.57 MX$44.52
$5.12 KMF 2,148
-49.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
$8.13 KMF 3,410
4.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.49 MX$147
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.99 MX$190
$12.65 KMF 5,311
-13.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.25
$5.32 KMF 2,234
-48.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.92
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 MX$33.93
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$36.70
$4.25 KMF 1,783
-50.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.30
$4.54 KMF 1,903
-59.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 MX$37.67
$3.22 KMF 1,352
-32.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.59
$2.32 KMF 974
-53.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$18.18
$1.32 KMF 552
-20.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.6
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.28 MX$178
$17.95 KMF 7,533
-42.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$28.87
$0.95 KMF 400
75.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 MX$43.12
$6.76 KMF 2,838
-63.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.60 KMF 252
-10.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.27 MX$455
$32.75 KMF 13.7K
-19.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 MX$53.8
$0.73 KMF 305
324.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.46 MX$42.66
$0.92 KMF 386
167.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.1
$12.28 KMF 5,155
-73.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$21.83
$3.03 KMF 1,270
-58.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2K MX$522.8K
$19.7K KMF 8.3M
52.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$406.3K
$17.9K KMF 7.5M
31.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 MX$1,456
$115 KMF 48.2K
-26.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21 MX$385
$35.13 KMF 14.7K
-36.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65 MX$514
$75.0 KMF 31.5K
-60.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.6 MX$912
$36.00 KMF 15.1K
46.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34 MX$318
$13.72 KMF 5,755
33.67%
Cinema Ticket
$4.95 MX$85.7
$6.70 KMF 2,811
-26.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$198 MX$3,438
$414 KMF 173.8K
-52.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,322 MX$92.2K
$14.5K KMF 6.1M
-63.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95 MX$623
$62.7 KMF 26.3K
-42.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06 MX$694
$61.4 KMF 25.8K
-34.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.8 MX$1,365
$114 KMF 47.7K
-30.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,499
$87.9 KMF 36.9K
-1.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 MX$16.9K
$746 KMF 313.2K
30.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$471 MX$8,158
$626 KMF 262.9K
-24.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,595 MX$27.6K
$1,471 KMF 617.4K
8.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,215 MX$21.1K
$1,197 KMF 502.4K
1.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,032 MX$69.9K
$1,641 KMF 688.5K
145.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,579 MX$114.0K
$1,398 KMF 586.5K
370.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$714 MX$12.4K
$683 KMF 286.8K
4.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
3.8
200.53%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Moroni: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $746 in Moroni. 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 4% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $19 in Moroni. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $288 in Moroni – so Playa del Carmen 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 Moroni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moroni cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Moroni is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,274 in Moroni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Moroni?
Groceries cost about 15% more in Moroni, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Moroni?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $19.00 in Moroni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Moroni?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Moroni at $1,516. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moroni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Moroni more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moroni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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