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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $300 in Moulvibazar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $495 in Moulvibazar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $690 in Moulvibazar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 335% more than Moulvibazar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Moulvibazar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Moulvibazar 78% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$1.59 ৳195
652.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$6.65 ৳817
612.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$4.90 ৳602
139.80%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.60 ৳319
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.04 ৳496
-
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$1.45 ৳178
184.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$0.29 ৳35.18
382.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.13 ৳16.47
600.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$0.81 ৳99.0
107.41%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$0.53 ৳64.9
305.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$0.51 ৳62.8
247.06%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$1.12 ৳138
151.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$7.22 ৳887
27.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$2.07 ৳255
345.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$7.57 ৳930
66.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$2.33 ৳286
26.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$0.88 ৳108
79.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$2.02 ৳248
9.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$0.55 ৳68.2
329.09%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$0.38 ৳46.43
423.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$0.68 ৳83.8
191.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$0.40 ৳48.55
210.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$0.33 ৳40.96
266.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$8.93 ৳1,097
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.83 ৳102
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.44 ৳177
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$2.95 ৳363
55.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
$0.39 ৳47.90
53.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
$14.36 ৳1,764
106.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$0.83 ৳102
531.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$0.20 ৳25.17
1725.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$0.85 ৳104
580.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$1.07 ৳132
43.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$33.0K ৳4.1M
-30.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$44.5K ৳5.5M
-42.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$24.36 ৳2,992
272.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$3.95 ৳486
537.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$12.19 ৳1,497
160.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$6.06 ৳744
1035.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
$6.09 ৳748
382.27%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$3.68 ৳452
32.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$28.25 ৳3,470
698.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$1,480 ৳181.7K
183.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$16.45 ৳2,021
188.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$19.96 ৳2,452
117.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$38.87 ৳4,774
106.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$31.39 ৳3,856
191.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$44.15 ৳5,423
2358.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$27.51 ৳3,379
1385.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$96.5 ৳11.8K
1944.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$65.8 ৳8,087
1846.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
$692 ৳84.9K
485.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Moulvibazar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
$177 ৳21.8K
336.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
11.5
-0.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Moulvibazar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.15 in Moulvibazar. 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 336% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $7.00 in Moulvibazar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $110 – making Moulvibazar 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 Moulvibazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moulvibazar cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 335%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $450 in Moulvibazar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Moulvibazar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Moulvibazar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $300 in Moulvibazar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 107% less in Moulvibazar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Moulvibazar?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moulvibazar, where all-in costs run around $300, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Moulvibazar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Moulvibazar more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Moulvibazar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Moulvibazar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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