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 $529 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $843 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco is about 58% 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 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.25

$11.99 MX$210

-77.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.00 PEN 95.0

$41.78 MX$733

-32.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 PEN 23.79

$10.75 MX$189

-34.79%

Cappuccino

$1.98 PEN 6.72

$3.50 MX$61.3

-43.43%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$1.45 MX$25.41

-51.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 PEN 1.48

$0.88 MX$15.52

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.58

$2.95 MX$51.7

-24.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PEN 12.90

$4.51 MX$79.1

-15.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 PEN 4.81

$1.43 MX$25.12

-0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 PEN 7.66

$1.84 MX$32.23

22.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 PEN 4.09

$1.57 MX$27.51

-23.57%

Eggs

$2.28 PEN 7.73

$2.51 MX$44.06

-9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 PEN 27.44

$8.28 MX$145

-2.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 PEN 19.39

$8.43 MX$148

-32.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 PEN 26.58

$10.68 MX$187

-26.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 PEN 6.91

$2.61 MX$45.76

-21.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 PEN 2.38

$1.44 MX$25.22

-51.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.40 PEN 1.36

$1.96 MX$34.41

-79.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 PEN 3.87

$2.09 MX$36.74

-45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 PEN 2.42

$1.85 MX$32.47

-61.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PEN 1.77

$2.17 MX$38.02

-76.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 PEN 3.01

$1.03 MX$18.09

-13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 PEN 2.74

$1.07 MX$18.84

-24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.70 PEN 19.34

$4.10 MX$72.0

39.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 PEN 24.93

$10.17 MX$178

-27.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PEN 5.72

$1.68 MX$29.38

0.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 PEN 8.57

$2.53 MX$44.31

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 PEN 11.12

$3.23 MX$56.7

1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.48

$2.41 MX$42.19

-8.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 PEN 28.79

$3.23 MX$56.6

162.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PEN 4.64

$1.32 MX$23.17

3.79%

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

$19.8K PEN 67.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-33.44%

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

$24.2K PEN 82.1K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

2.28%

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

$56.1 PEN 190

$82.0 MX$1,439

-31.64%

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

$12.48 PEN 42.33

$22.95 MX$403

-45.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 PEN 81.4

$30.11 MX$528

-20.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 PEN 23.28

$4.98 MX$87.3

37.75%

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

$214 PEN 728

$197 MX$3,463

8.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,047 PEN 27.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

50.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.42 PEN 168

$35.60 MX$624

38.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.25 PEN 123

$40.33 MX$707

-10.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 PEN 301

$78.8 MX$1,381

12.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 PEN 309

$88.9 MX$1,560

2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 PEN 1,297

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-76.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 PEN 1,584

$654 MX$11.5K

-28.61%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 40% 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 137%, 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 $794 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,884 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 $529, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.