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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,372 in Moss, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,530 in Moss, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,689 in Moss, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 47% cheaper than Moss, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Moss is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$18.23 NOK 176

-34.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$101 NOK 969

-58.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$12.92 NOK 125

-16.80%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.91 NOK 37.69

-10.49%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.23 NOK 31.13

-55.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.60 NOK 25.07

-66.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$6.60 NOK 63.6

-55.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$7.92 NOK 76.4

-43.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.12 NOK 20.45

-32.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.49 NOK 33.70

-47.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.51 NOK 33.83

-55.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.33 NOK 32.08

-24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$13.36 NOK 129

-38.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$12.25 NOK 118

-31.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$26.41 NOK 255

-59.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.58 NOK 34.50

-27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.39 NOK 23.08

-39.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.39 NOK 32.71

-42.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$4.98 NOK 48.03

-58.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.56 NOK 24.72

-27.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.51 NOK 24.17

-13.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.56 NOK 24.73

-59.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$2.42 NOK 23.34

-55.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$15.80 NOK 152

-74.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.55 NOK 150

-34.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.60 NOK 25.03

-35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.62 NOK 34.90

-30.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$4.38 NOK 42.24

-88.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$83.9 NOK 809

-68.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$10.07 NOK 97.1

-67.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.44 NOK 13.91

67.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$42.42 NOK 409

-92.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.21 NOK 21.35

-40.27%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$36.5K NOK 352.1K

-18.67%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$38.0K NOK 366.6K

-37.77%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$292 NOK 2,820

-71.96%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$20.23 NOK 195

13.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$47.01 NOK 453

-35.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$40.53 NOK 391

28.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$32.46 NOK 313

-42.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$15.93 NOK 154

-68.74%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$273 NOK 2,631

-27.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,635 NOK 35.1K

46.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$98.0 NOK 945

-63.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$65.6 NOK 633

-38.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$103 NOK 990

-23.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$142 NOK 1,366

-37.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,221 NOK 11.8K

-22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$870 NOK 8,393

-45.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,816 NOK 17.5K

-9.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,406 NOK 13.6K

-13.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$5,106 NOK 49.2K

-20.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$3,990 NOK 38.5K

62.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$4,419 NOK 42.6K

-85.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.05

126.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Moss: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,221 in Moss. 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 576% higher in Moss, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $101 in Moss. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $438 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Moss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moss costs about 89% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,557 in Moss. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $2,372 in Moss. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 222% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Moss at $2,372. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moss it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $2,372 in Moss. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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