🙂A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,461 in Moroni, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,156 in Moroni, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,851 in Moroni, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 13% cheaper than Moroni, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Moroni is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$6.41KMF 2,736
80.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$812
$19.69KMF 8,397
139.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$8.23KMF 3,511
44.35%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.6
$1.77KMF 757
124.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.60
$1.05KMF 449
36.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.22
$0.65KMF 275
26.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$55.0
$1.08KMF 461
195.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$1.94KMF 829
250.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.89
$4.47KMF 1,908
-62.42%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.88
$0.56KMF 239
292.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.45
$1.77KMF 756
-3.39%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.26
$5.06KMF 2,157
-45.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$7.74KMF 3,300
23.77%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
-
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$12.68KMF 5,408
1.03%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.81
$5.23KMF 2,232
-44.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.81
-
-
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$37.03
-
-
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.96
$4.33KMF 1,846
-47.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.15
$4.77KMF 2,034
-58.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.30
$3.17KMF 1,351
-37.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.28
$2.33KMF 996
-47.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.63
$1.32KMF 563
-9.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.5
-
-
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
$17.50KMF 7,465
-40.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.91
$0.93KMF 397
74.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.67
$6.74KMF 2,875
-57.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.35
$0.63KMF 270
-4.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$497
$32.87KMF 14.0K
-12.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.9
$0.67KMF 285
704.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.3
$1.00KMF 425
273.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.5
$11.86KMF 5,059
-51.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.48
$3.09KMF 1,319
-50.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.8K
$19.5KKMF 8.3M
15.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$449.3K
$17.9KKMF 7.6M
45.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,576
$117KMF 50.1K
-22.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$435
$35.34KMF 15.1K
-28.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$539
$74.8KMF 31.9K
-58.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,159
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$502
$14.07KMF 6,003
106.89%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.8
$6.59KMF 2,810
-26.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,856
$407KMF 173.5K
-45.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.9K
$14.4KKMF 6.1M
-70.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$812
$63.6KMF 27.1K
-25.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$764
$61.4KMF 26.2K
-27.88%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,381
$115KMF 49.2K
-30.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,598
$86.5KMF 36.9K
7.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$737KMF 314.3K
44.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,728
$619KMF 263.9K
-36.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.1K
$1,442KMF 615.1K
49.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$1,175KMF 501.0K
8.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$69.0K
$1,645KMF 701.7K
143.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.1K
$1,399KMF 596.8K
364.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Moroni
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
$683KMF 291.2K
11.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
3.8
201.32%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Moroni: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $737 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 11% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Moroni. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $286 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 15%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,192 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 4% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $20.00 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 $1,266, than in Moroni at $1,461. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared