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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Cusco versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Cusco versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Cusco versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$11.71 MX$199

-78.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.2

$46.59 MX$792

-55.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.62

$11.65 MX$198

-44.72%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$4.09 MX$69.6

-45.48%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$1.37 MX$23.35

-41.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PEN 1.14

$0.83 MX$14.17

-59.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$3.35 MX$57.0

-39.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.56

$6.91 MX$117

-37.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$1.73 MX$29.35

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.98

$2.26 MX$38.41

4.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.42

$1.77 MX$30.07

-25.99%

Eggs

$3.61 PEN 12.12

$2.73 MX$46.43

32.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 16.02

$9.18 MX$156

-48.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 PEN 14.67

$8.92 MX$152

-51.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 PEN 24.60

$12.60 MX$214

-41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.88

$3.02 MX$51.3

-12.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.67

$1.57 MX$26.69

-49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.96

$2.13 MX$36.12

-30.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$2.26 MX$38.48

-61.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.56

$2.00 MX$34.05

-47.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.63

$2.06 MX$35.08

-47.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.18 MX$20.05

-54.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.38

$1.20 MX$20.46

-40.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.8

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.25

$10.69 MX$182

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 PEN 6.62

$1.62 MX$27.52

21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.33

$2.88 MX$48.96

47.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.57 MX$9.74

-45.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.15

$5.45 MX$92.6

-66.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.32

$3.70 MX$63.0

-49.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PEN 9.88

$5.98 MX$102

-50.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.23

$1.55 MX$26.40

0.65%

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

$22.3K MX$379.4K

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

$25.9K MX$441.0K

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

$29.75 PEN 100.0

$89.1 MX$1,515

-66.62%

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

$14.73 PEN 49.51

$25.04 MX$426

-41.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.70 PEN 150

$31.50 MX$535

41.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

$67.8 MX$1,152

-47.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 14.77

$5.05 MX$85.8

-13.07%

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

$225 MX$3,823

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

$47.44 MX$806

-17.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

$44.98 MX$764

-25.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 184

$82.0 MX$1,393

-33.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 252

$92.1 MX$1,565

-18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 PEN 509

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-85.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 605

$405 MX$6,888

-55.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,220

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-81.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 897

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-79.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-1.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,967

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-73.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,454

$749 MX$12.7K

-42.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Cusco and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 73% 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: $21.00 in Cusco vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $277 per month, with Cusco 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

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

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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: $151 in Cusco versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $699 in Cusco versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco 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.

Expats usually find Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.