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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,311 in Moss, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,496 in Moss, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,681 in Moss, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 44% cheaper than Moss, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Moss is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$18.76 NOK 174

-37.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$99.1 NOK 920

-57.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$13.20 NOK 123

-19.39%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.89 NOK 36.15

-9.51%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$3.18 NOK 29.57

-52.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.60 NOK 24.15

-62.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$6.65 NOK 61.8

-55.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$8.24 NOK 76.5

-46.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$2.13 NOK 19.75

-35.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.42 NOK 31.76

-44.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.46 NOK 32.18

-52.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.42 NOK 31.80

-26.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.26 NOK 123

-37.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.20 NOK 113

-31.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$27.12 NOK 252

-60.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.42 NOK 31.74

-23.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.41 NOK 22.37

-39.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.48 NOK 32.33

-45.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$5.11 NOK 47.48

-59.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.53 NOK 23.51

-29.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.61 NOK 24.20

-16.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.57 NOK 23.91

-59.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.30 NOK 21.38

-53.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$15.97 NOK 148

-74.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$16.14 NOK 150

-36.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.60 NOK 24.18

-34.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.63 NOK 33.74

-28.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$4.37 NOK 40.62

-88.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$83.3 NOK 774

-68.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$9.97 NOK 92.7

-67.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.44 NOK 13.34

72.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$42.46 NOK 394

-92.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$2.24 NOK 20.84

-41.52%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$36.9K NOK 342.4K

-17.84%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$37.6K NOK 348.8K

-37.60%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$284 NOK 2,634

-70.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$20.56 NOK 191

8.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$46.71 NOK 434

-37.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$40.48 NOK 376

27.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$32.72 NOK 304

-44.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.90 NOK 148

-68.11%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$264 NOK 2,454

-23.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,690 NOK 34.3K

41.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$97.2 NOK 903

-62.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$65.2 NOK 605

-38.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$100 NOK 931

-21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$144 NOK 1,342

-39.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,231 NOK 11.4K

-20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$847 NOK 7,865

-44.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,809 NOK 16.8K

-9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,411 NOK 13.1K

-13.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$5,460 NOK 50.7K

-27.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$4,095 NOK 38.0K

58.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,547 NOK 42.2K

-85.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Moss: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,231 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 585% 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 $99.0 in Moss. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $439 – 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 78% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,466 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $2,311 in Moss. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 215% 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 $1,297, than in Moss at $2,311. 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 $1,297 versus $2,311 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.