Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cerro de Pasco: $547 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

26

Cost of Living Index in Cerro de Pasco
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Cerro de Pasco Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Cerro de Pasco

🇵🇪 Peru

$547

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cerro de Pasco and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cerro de Pasco and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $547 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco $547
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $883 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco $883
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,218 per month in Cerro de Pasco vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cerro de Pasco $1,218
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Cerro de Pasco is about 55% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in 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 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 PEN 9.80

$10.92 MX$204

-73.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.57 PEN 102

$43.37 MX$808

-31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 PEN 24.27

$11.78 MX$220

-40.24%

Cappuccino

$1.99 PEN 6.86

$3.81 MX$71.0

-47.77%

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

$0.71 PEN 2.44

$1.28 MX$23.90

-44.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 PEN 1.57

$0.78 MX$14.59

-42.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 PEN 9.23

$3.17 MX$59.0

-15.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 PEN 15.09

$4.93 MX$92.0

-11.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 PEN 5.08

$1.41 MX$26.22

4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 PEN 8.07

$2.22 MX$41.33

5.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PEN 4.34

$1.42 MX$26.42

-11.27%

Eggs

$2.38 PEN 8.20

$2.52 MX$47.03

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 PEN 31.77

$7.26 MX$135

27.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 20.01

$7.70 MX$143

-24.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 PEN 27.63

$12.69 MX$237

-36.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 PEN 6.76

$2.78 MX$51.9

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 PEN 2.59

$1.37 MX$25.50

-45.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.45 PEN 1.57

$2.55 MX$47.55

-82.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 PEN 3.95

$2.12 MX$39.58

-45.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 PEN 2.61

$1.94 MX$36.13

-60.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 PEN 1.74

$1.89 MX$35.16

-73.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 PEN 3.11

$1.15 MX$21.37

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PEN 3.04

$1.18 MX$21.98

-25.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 PEN 20.10

$4.30 MX$80.1

35.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.07 PEN 24.36

$9.95 MX$185

-28.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.62

$1.58 MX$29.52

21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 PEN 8.95

$2.67 MX$49.79

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 PEN 11.80

$4.97 MX$92.6

-31.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 PEN 6.84

$3.33 MX$62.1

-40.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 PEN 26.36

$5.36 MX$99.8

42.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 PEN 5.91

$1.44 MX$26.92

18.75%

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

$21.6K PEN 74.5K

$20.7K MX$385.2K

4.54%

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

$28.4K PEN 98.0K

$23.5K MX$437.4K

21.15%

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

$68.2 PEN 235

$84.8 MX$1,581

-19.59%

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

$15.73 PEN 54.2

$23.41 MX$436

-32.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.89 PEN 92.7

$28.66 MX$534

-6.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,063

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 PEN 25.28

$5.14 MX$95.8

42.61%

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

$306 PEN 1,056

$207 MX$3,851

48.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K PEN 44.8K

$3,927 MX$73.2K

230.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 PEN 180

$43.35 MX$808

20.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 PEN 122

$41.44 MX$772

-14.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 PEN 291

$74.2 MX$1,383

13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 PEN 268

$89.3 MX$1,664

-12.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,099

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 PEN 1,396

$1,708 MX$31.8K

-76.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$114.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 PEN 1,597

$735 MX$13.7K

-36.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

11.45

-23.32%

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

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Cerro de Pasco

$202 36.8%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 26.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Cerro de Pasco

$112 20.5%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 0.6% $0.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cerro de Pasco

$111 20.2%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 23.5% $26

Eating Out

Cerro de Pasco

$95 17.3%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 114% $108

Sport & Entertainment

Cerro de Pasco

$15 * 2.7%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 359% $53

Getting Around

Cerro de Pasco

$13 * 2.4%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 278% $37

Accommodation & Living

Cerro de Pasco

- * 0%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 59% 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 $30 in Cerro de Pasco versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $255 – making Cerro de Pasco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Cerro de Pasco

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

11:56 11:56 AM

Same time as Cerro de Pasco

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,899

149,923

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.29 USD

1 PEN = 0.261 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.45 PEN (1 PEN = 0.29 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.261 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cerro de Pasco Playa del Carmen 3,680 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Cerro de Pasco
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 120%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $821 per month in Cerro de Pasco and $1,806 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 $30 in Cerro de Pasco and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $547, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $547 in Cerro de Pasco to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.