Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cerro de Pasco and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $514 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,157 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 60% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cerro de Pasco and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cerro de Pasco 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 PEN 9.74

$11.73 MX$203

-75.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$41.62 MX$720

-33.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 PEN 23.65

$10.64 MX$184

-34.68%

Cappuccino

$1.88 PEN 6.41

$3.52 MX$60.9

-46.59%

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

$0.72 PEN 2.46

$1.51 MX$26.12

-52.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 PEN 1.38

$0.97 MX$16.84

-57.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 PEN 7.50

$2.95 MX$51.0

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 PEN 13.02

$4.45 MX$77.0

-13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.38 MX$23.93

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 PEN 7.62

$1.89 MX$32.72

18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PEN 4.20

$1.64 MX$28.32

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.31 PEN 7.86

$2.51 MX$43.34

-7.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.15 PEN 27.73

$8.34 MX$144

-2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 PEN 19.73

$8.34 MX$144

-30.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.80 PEN 26.54

$10.73 MX$186

-27.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 PEN 6.71

$2.60 MX$45.04

-24.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.28

$1.46 MX$25.20

-54.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.48

$1.90 MX$32.87

-77.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 PEN 3.84

$2.08 MX$35.91

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 PEN 2.27

$1.78 MX$30.71

-62.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.75

$2.19 MX$37.80

-76.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.80

$1.04 MX$17.99

-21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 PEN 2.70

$1.08 MX$18.62

-26.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.62 PEN 19.14

$4.08 MX$70.6

37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 PEN 24.65

$10.32 MX$178

-29.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 PEN 5.72

$1.71 MX$29.61

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 PEN 8.31

$2.58 MX$44.54

-5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 PEN 11.42

$3.26 MX$56.4

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 PEN 7.45

$2.49 MX$43.09

-12.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 PEN 27.74

$3.25 MX$56.2

150.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 PEN 4.62

$1.31 MX$22.61

3.82%

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

$19.1K PEN 65.1K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-36.82%

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

$24.5K PEN 83.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

4.58%

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

$56.0 PEN 190

$82.9 MX$1,433

-32.47%

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

$12.44 PEN 42.31

$22.22 MX$384

-44.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.81 PEN 81.0

$29.34 MX$507

-18.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 PEN 24.03

$5.07 MX$87.6

39.25%

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

$223 PEN 757

$201 MX$3,473

10.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,987 PEN 27.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

53.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 PEN 172

$36.92 MX$639

36.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.65 PEN 125

$39.79 MX$688

-7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 PEN 306

$78.5 MX$1,357

14.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 PEN 309

$87.1 MX$1,506

4.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 PEN 1,312

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-76.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 PEN 1,591

$664 MX$11.5K

-29.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

11.42

-11.47%

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 42% 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 $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $249 – making Cerro de Pasco 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

Cerro de Pasco vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 152%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $770 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $514, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. 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.