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: $747 in Cusco versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,171 in Cusco versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Cusco versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 42% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cusco 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 PEN 9.56

$11.73 MX$203

-76.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 PEN 94.3

$41.62 MX$720

-33.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.20

$10.64 MX$184

-46.99%

Cappuccino

$2.02 PEN 6.86

$3.52 MX$60.9

-42.61%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.17

$1.51 MX$26.12

-18.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 PEN 2.50

$0.97 MX$16.84

-23.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PEN 7.44

$2.95 MX$51.0

-25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 PEN 14.39

$4.45 MX$77.0

-4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 PEN 4.95

$1.38 MX$23.93

5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 PEN 10.24

$1.89 MX$32.72

59.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 PEN 4.53

$1.64 MX$28.32

-18.90%

Eggs

$3.87 PEN 13.15

$2.51 MX$43.34

54.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.76 PEN 16.20

$8.34 MX$144

-42.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 PEN 16.62

$8.34 MX$144

-41.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 PEN 23.41

$10.73 MX$186

-35.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 PEN 8.06

$2.60 MX$45.04

-8.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.46 MX$25.20

-50.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.32

$1.90 MX$32.87

-33.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 PEN 3.05

$2.08 MX$35.91

-56.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.39

$1.78 MX$30.71

-43.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.26

$2.19 MX$37.80

-56.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 PEN 2.37

$1.04 MX$17.99

-32.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PEN 2.31

$1.08 MX$18.62

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.83 PEN 16.42

$4.08 MX$70.6

18.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 PEN 19.93

$10.32 MX$178

-43.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 PEN 6.74

$1.71 MX$29.61

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 PEN 10.42

$2.58 MX$44.54

18.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.51 MX$8.81

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 PEN 5.74

$3.26 MX$56.4

-48.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 PEN 5.48

$2.49 MX$43.09

-35.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.49

$3.25 MX$56.2

-14.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 PEN 5.13

$1.31 MX$22.61

15.27%

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

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-37.94%

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

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-5.63%

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

$33.09 PEN 113

$82.9 MX$1,433

-60.07%

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

$14.07 PEN 47.86

$22.22 MX$384

-36.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.14 PEN 103

$29.34 MX$507

2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.93 PEN 105

$51.6 MX$893

-40.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 PEN 16.19

$5.07 MX$87.6

-6.11%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.52 PEN 124

$36.92 MX$639

-1.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.63 PEN 97.4

$39.79 MX$688

-28.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 PEN 210

$78.5 MX$1,357

-21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 PEN 239

$87.1 MX$1,506

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 PEN 1,033

$973 MX$16.8K

-68.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 PEN 850

$468 MX$8,090

-46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 PEN 1,979

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 PEN 1,395

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-66.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-1.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,754 PEN 5,968

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-73.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 PEN 1,471

$664 MX$11.5K

-34.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-3.68%

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

Last update for Cusco: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Cusco and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 54% 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: $28.00 in Cusco vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $249 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 54% less. 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: $304 in Cusco versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% 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 $28.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Cusco versus $1,297 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 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.