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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,482 in Moroni, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,197 in Moroni, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,912 in Moroni, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 15% cheaper than Moroni, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Moroni is 11% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.72 MX$203
$6.52 KMF 2,791
79.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.89 MX$725
$19.41 KMF 8,302
115.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.51 MX$182
$8.08 KMF 3,457
30.07%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.0
$1.85 KMF 793
94.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.10
$1.05 KMF 447
43.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 MX$15.83
$0.69 KMF 295
33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 MX$51.2
$1.10 KMF 473
169.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.41 MX$76.3
$1.91 KMF 819
130.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.40 MX$24.16
$4.47 KMF 1,914
-68.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 MX$32.60
$0.61 KMF 263
208.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$26.97
$1.78 KMF 760
-12.36%
Eggs
$2.61 MX$45.14
$5.06 KMF 2,167
-48.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 MX$144
$8.04 KMF 3,439
3.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$145
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$188
$12.62 KMF 5,399
-13.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 MX$46.93
$5.33 KMF 2,282
-49.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$26.04
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.41
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.89
$4.20 KMF 1,799
-47.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$32.14
$4.69 KMF 2,005
-60.34%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 MX$38.59
$3.27 KMF 1,400
-31.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.48
$2.33 KMF 996
-54.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.79
$1.32 KMF 563
-17.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19 MX$72.4
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$10.43 MX$180
$17.22 KMF 7,367
-39.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$28.68
$1.00 KMF 429
66.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$45.19
$6.90 KMF 2,952
-62.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.37
$0.61 KMF 259
-11.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.16 MX$453
$32.92 KMF 14.1K
-20.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.08 MX$53.3
$0.68 KMF 292
352.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.40 MX$41.61
$0.94 KMF 404
155.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$54.1
$12.14 KMF 5,193
-74.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.69
$3.08 KMF 1,316
-57.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K MX$515.7K
$19.8K KMF 8.5M
50.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$403.5K
$17.8K KMF 7.6M
30.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 MX$1,406
$115 KMF 49.1K
-29.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.56 MX$390
$35.64 KMF 15.2K
-36.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.05 MX$520
$75.4 KMF 32.3K
-60.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 MX$915
$35.87 KMF 15.3K
47.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.39 MX$318
$13.72 KMF 5,868
34.04%
Cinema Ticket
$4.92 MX$85.1
$6.74 KMF 2,885
-27.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,474
$416 KMF 178.0K
-51.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,175 MX$89.5K
$14.6K KMF 6.3M
-64.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.92 MX$622
$63.5 KMF 27.2K
-43.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.13 MX$694
$63.2 KMF 27.0K
-36.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.7 MX$1,379
$115 KMF 49.0K
-30.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5 MX$1,496
$86.6 KMF 37.1K
-0.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$978 MX$16.9K
$748 KMF 320.1K
30.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 MX$8,140
$626 KMF 267.7K
-24.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,651 MX$28.6K
$1,448 KMF 619.6K
14.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,203 MX$20.8K
$1,193 KMF 510.4K
0.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,953 MX$68.4K
$1,561 KMF 668.0K
153.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,607 MX$114.3K
$1,363 KMF 582.9K
384.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$677 MX$11.7K
$675 KMF 288.9K
0.20%
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Moroni: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $748 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 0% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Moroni. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $287 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 18%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,223 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 in Moroni?
Groceries cost about 14% 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 in 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Moroni?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Moroni at $1,482. 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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