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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,530 in Moss, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,841 in Moss, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,152 in Moss, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper than Moss, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Moss is 84% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$21.05 NOK 196

-44.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$81.0 NOK 753

-42.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$14.00 NOK 130

-16.79%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.05 NOK 46.93

-19.01%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$3.34 NOK 31.02

-58.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$2.70 NOK 25.12

-69.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$6.99 NOK 65.0

-52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$8.45 NOK 78.6

-18.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$2.46 NOK 22.84

-29.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$3.82 NOK 35.50

-40.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$3.76 NOK 35.00

-52.93%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$3.51 NOK 32.68

-22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.30 NOK 124

-30.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$13.21 NOK 123

-32.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$27.65 NOK 257

-54.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.45 NOK 32.05

-12.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$2.52 NOK 23.46

-37.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$2.99 NOK 27.84

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$5.95 NOK 55.3

-62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$2.29 NOK 21.25

-12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$2.54 NOK 23.66

-18.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$2.62 NOK 24.35

-54.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$2.52 NOK 23.41

-52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$15.26 NOK 142

-69.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$16.05 NOK 149

-33.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.70 NOK 25.06

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$3.85 NOK 35.78

-25.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$4.75 NOK 44.13

-88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$88.8 NOK 826

-66.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$10.74 NOK 99.9

-49.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.85 NOK 17.20

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$47.21 NOK 439

-87.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$2.33 NOK 21.67

-33.48%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$43.1K NOK 400.8K

-48.20%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$41.7K NOK 387.8K

-37.78%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$309 NOK 2,869

-71.11%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$33.42 NOK 311

-25.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$56.6 NOK 526

-44.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$40.47 NOK 376

67.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$35.40 NOK 329

-18.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$19.07 NOK 177

-73.52%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$253 NOK 2,350

-10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$3,762 NOK 35.0K

12.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$101 NOK 940

-53.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$61.2 NOK 569

-26.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$108 NOK 1,002

-23.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$142 NOK 1,320

-35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,245 NOK 11.6K

-14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$955 NOK 8,879

-57.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,158 NOK 20.1K

-10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,626 NOK 15.1K

-19.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$5,271 NOK 49.0K

-24.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$4,133 NOK 38.4K

60.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$4,506 NOK 41.9K

-83.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.96

130.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Moss: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,245 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 502% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.0 in Moss. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $461 – 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 96% 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,796 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $2,530 in Moss. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 198% 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 $1,293, than in Moss at $2,530. 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 $1,293 versus $2,530 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.