Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Moses Lake, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,396 in Moses Lake, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
115

Cost of Living Index in Moses Lake, WA
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Moses Lake, WA Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Moses Lake, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,396

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Moses Lake, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Moses Lake, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,396 in Moses Lake, WA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Moses Lake, WA $2,396

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,595 in Moses Lake, WA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Moses Lake, WA $3,595

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,795 in Moses Lake, WA, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Moses Lake, WA $4,795

Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper than Moses Lake, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Moses Lake, WA is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$206

$18.18 $18.18

-39.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$818

$79.9 $79.9

-45.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$222

$12.28 $12.28

-4.07%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.9

$4.38 $4.38

-13.01%

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

$1.28 MX$24.19

$2.94 $2.94

-56.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.77

$2.56 $2.56

-69.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.7

$4.61 $4.61

-31.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$93.1

$8.16 $8.16

-39.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.53

$0.74 $0.74

90.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.82

$3.83 $3.83

-42.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.73

$4.08 $4.08

-65.20%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.59

$3.50 $3.50

-28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$137

$9.10 $9.10

-20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$145

$11.08 $11.08

-30.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$239

$13.45 $13.45

-5.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.5

$5.91 $5.91

-52.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.81

$1.62 $1.62

-15.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$48.12

$5.36 $5.36

-52.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$40.05

$5.62 $5.62

-62.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.56

$3.49 $3.49

-44.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.58

$3.25 $3.25

-41.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.63

$2.91 $2.91

-60.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.24

$2.17 $2.17

-45.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$81.0

$11.66 $11.66

-63.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$188

$14.83 $14.83

-32.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.87

$1.79 $1.79

-11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.4

$4.20 $4.20

-36.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.44

$1.99 $1.99

-72.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$502

$67.0 $67.0

-60.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.7

$2.48 $2.48

100.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.8

$1.58 $1.58

110.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

$30.13 $30.13

-82.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.24

$1.16 $1.16

24.14%

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

$20.7K MX$389.8K

$31.5K $31.5K

-34.46%

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

$23.5K MX$442.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

-9.25%

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

$84.8 MX$1,599

$154 $154

-45.11%

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

$23.41 MX$442

$70.1 $70.1

-66.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$541

$75.7 $75.7

-62.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,076

$41.80 $41.80

36.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$545

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.9

$11.65 $11.65

-55.88%

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

$207 MX$3,897

$1,113 $1,113

-81.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$74.1K

$31.1K $31.1K

-87.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$818

$52.7 $52.7

-17.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$782

$25.09 $25.09

65.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,400

$46.61 $46.61

59.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,684

$81.4 $81.4

9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.5K

$1,505 $1,505

-34.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,184

$1,167 $1,167

-67.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.2K

$2,244 $2,244

-23.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.3K

$2,029 $2,029

-47.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.4K

$2,621 $2,621

50.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$116.2K

$2,840 $2,840

116.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.9K

$9,063 $9,063

-91.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.89

66.18%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Moses Lake, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Moses Lake, WA

$1.2K 48.7% 207% $786

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Moses Lake, WA

$390 16.3% 52.9% $135

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Moses Lake, WA

$296 12.4% 46.4% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Moses Lake, WA

$300 12.5% 119% $163

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Moses Lake, WA

$93 3.9% 17.1% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Moses Lake, WA

$65 2.7% 3.3% $2.2

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Moses Lake, WA

$85 3.6% 69.1% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,505 in Moses Lake, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Moses Lake, WA are about 12 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $80 in Moses Lake, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $390 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Moses Lake, WA

🕒 Local time

21:55 9:55 PM

19:55 7:55 PM

2 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

25,146

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.3 USD

100 MXN = 4.76 EUR

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 USD = 18.86 MXN (100 MXN = 5.3 USD). 1 EUR = 21.02 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 30, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.897 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Moses Lake, WA 4,130 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Moses Lake, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Moses Lake, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moses Lake, WA costs about 99% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,594 in Moses Lake, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,505 in Moses Lake, WA.

Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,113 in Moses Lake, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Moses Lake, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Moses Lake, WA at $2,396. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moses Lake, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Moses Lake, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.