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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Cajamarca versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,178 in Cajamarca versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,649 in Cajamarca versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cajamarca costs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cajamarca 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 PEN 11.66

$11.71 MX$198

-70.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.10 PEN 101

$46.59 MX$788

-35.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 PEN 20.32

$11.65 MX$197

-48.15%

Cappuccino

$2.74 PEN 9.22

$4.09 MX$69.2

-33.01%

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

$0.82 PEN 2.76

$1.37 MX$23.23

-40.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.04

$0.83 MX$14.09

-26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 PEN 8.08

$3.35 MX$56.7

-28.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PEN 11.80

$6.91 MX$117

-49.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 PEN 4.64

$1.73 MX$29.20

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 PEN 10.82

$2.26 MX$38.21

42.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PEN 4.36

$1.77 MX$29.91

-26.55%

Eggs

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$2.73 MX$46.19

-18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.24

$9.18 MX$155

-15.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 PEN 21.34

$8.92 MX$151

-28.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 PEN 43.55

$12.60 MX$213

2.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.79

$3.02 MX$51.1

-62.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 PEN 2.64

$1.57 MX$26.55

-50.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 PEN 4.33

$2.13 MX$35.93

-39.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.74

$2.26 MX$38.28

-50.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.52

$2.00 MX$33.88

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.50

$2.06 MX$34.90

-49.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 PEN 2.55

$1.18 MX$19.94

-35.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 PEN 2.57

$1.20 MX$20.35

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 PEN 29.46

$4.63 MX$78.4

89.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 PEN 34.56

$10.69 MX$181

-3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 PEN 8.78

$1.62 MX$27.38

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$2.88 MX$48.70

-12.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 PEN 2.02

$0.57 MX$9.69

5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.74 PEN 29.38

$29.83 MX$504

-70.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 PEN 6.13

$5.45 MX$92.1

-66.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$3.70 MX$62.6

-64.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 PEN 17.88

$5.98 MX$101

-11.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 PEN 5.13

$1.55 MX$26.26

-1.29%

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

$24.2K PEN 81.4K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

8.38%

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

$25.8K PEN 86.8K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-0.59%

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

$49.37 PEN 166

$89.1 MX$1,507

-44.61%

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

$9.79 PEN 32.94

$25.04 MX$423

-60.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.16 PEN 98.1

$31.50 MX$532

-7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.10 PEN 101

$67.8 MX$1,146

-55.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.17 PEN 71.2

$28.92 MX$489

-26.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.02

$5.05 MX$85.4

-5.74%

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

$137 PEN 461

$225 MX$3,803

-39.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 PEN 14.8K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

4.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 PEN 177

$47.44 MX$802

11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 PEN 100

$44.98 MX$760

-33.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 PEN 273

$82.0 MX$1,386

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 PEN 274

$92.1 MX$1,557

-11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 PEN 691

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-80.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PEN 354

$405 MX$6,852

-74.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 PEN 1,822

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-72.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 PEN 1,053

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-75.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,339 PEN 7,866

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-41.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$740 PEN 2,487

$749 MX$12.7K

-1.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.45

-8.30%

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

Last update for Cajamarca: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $206 in Cajamarca and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Cajamarca vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $277 per month, with Cajamarca cheaper across the board.

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

Cajamarca vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $206 in Cajamarca versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 241% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $137 in Cajamarca versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Cajamarca versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cajamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cajamarca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cajamarca and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cajamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.