Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Moshi

For one person, living is cheaper in Moshi: $247 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Moshi, Tanzania
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Moshi
🇹🇿 Tanzania
$247
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Moshi

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 Moshi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $247 in Moshi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,202
  • Moshi $247

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $427 in Moshi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Moshi $427

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $607 in Moshi, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,962
  • Moshi $607

Playa del Carmen costs about 388% more than Moshi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Moshi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Moshi 82% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.67 MX$200
$2.96 TZS 7,778
260.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.80 MX$823
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 MX$221
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.79 MX$71.1
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 MX$24.36
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.65
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 MX$59.1
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.46
$0.56 TZS 1,470
151.79%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$41.23
$0.78 TZS 2,044
182.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.47 MX$27.66
$1.28 TZS 3,377
14.84%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$46.89
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.29 MX$137
$8.45 TZS 22.2K
-13.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.95 MX$149
$3.89 TZS 10.2K
104.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 MX$242
$3.09 TZS 8,117
316.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 MX$54.4
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 MX$25.98
$0.40 TZS 1,040
245.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.49 MX$46.78
$1.47 TZS 3,868
69.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 MX$38.12
$0.80 TZS 2,097
153.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$38.03
$0.74 TZS 1,945
172.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$35.74
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.49
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$23.27
$0.40 TZS 1,040
210.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27 MX$80.2
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.81 MX$184
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 MX$29.78
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 MX$51.6
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$9.67
$0.80 TZS 2,097
-36.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.39 MX$514
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.76 MX$89.4
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.25 MX$61.0
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$101
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$28.70
$1.19 TZS 3,123
28.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$398.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K MX$436.9K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.5 MX$1,568
$116 TZS 303.8K
-27.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.19 MX$435
$3.88 TZS 10.2K
497.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.61 MX$519
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,060
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.19 MX$529
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.00 MX$93.9
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,889
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,231 MX$98.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.45 MX$816
$18.84 TZS 49.5K
130.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.54 MX$799
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.8 MX$1,367
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.4 MX$1,660
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 MX$18.7K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$382 MX$7,181
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 MX$31.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 MX$20.3K
$189 TZS 497.1K
471.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,909 MX$73.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,138 MX$115.3K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Moshi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 MX$15.6K
$94.0 TZS 247.1K
785.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Moshi: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$382
Moshi
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$257
Moshi
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Moshi
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$134
Moshi
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$111
Moshi
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$66
Moshi
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Moshi
–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Playa del Carmen are about 8.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇹🇿 Moshi
🕒 Local time
05:07 5:07 AM
13:07 1:07 PM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
221,733
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TZS, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.09 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 2,629 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.8 USD). 1 EUR = 2,953 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.39 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Moshi 13,710 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Moshi

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 Moshi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moshi cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 388%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $370 in Moshi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Moshi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $247 in Moshi. That makes Moshi about 79% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Moshi?
Groceries cost about 181% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Moshi?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moshi, where all-in costs run around $247, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,202. In Moshi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Moshi?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $247 in Moshi to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Moshi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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