😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,733 in Pacov versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,483 in Pacov versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,234 in Pacov versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Pacov is roughly 34% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Pacov is 29% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.22Kč 192
$11.73MX$203
-21.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.94Kč 916
$41.62MX$721
5.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.67Kč 264
$10.64MX$184
19.08%
Cappuccino
$2.93Kč 61.1
$3.52MX$61.0
-16.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82Kč 58.8
$1.51MX$26.17
86.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44Kč 30.05
$0.97MX$16.87
48.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.36Kč 28.35
$2.95MX$51.1
-53.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.18Kč 108
$4.45MX$77.2
16.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.60Kč 33.29
$1.38MX$23.97
15.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.40Kč 29.24
$1.89MX$32.78
-25.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.08Kč 64.2
$1.64MX$28.37
87.80%
Eggs
$5.45Kč 114
$2.51MX$43.42
117.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.77Kč 266
$8.34MX$145
53.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.26Kč 193
$8.34MX$145
11.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.67Kč 452
$10.73MX$186
101.96%
Apples(1kg)
$1.44Kč 29.96
$2.60MX$45.12
-44.62%
Banana(1kg)
$2.65Kč 55.3
$1.46MX$25.25
81.51%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.75Kč 78.3
$1.90MX$32.94
97.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.52Kč 73.4
$2.08MX$35.98
69.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.25Kč 26.15
$1.78MX$30.77
-29.78%
Onion(1kg)
$2.08Kč 43.39
$2.19MX$37.87
-5.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.26Kč 26.29
$1.04MX$18.02
21.15%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81Kč 16.92
$1.08MX$18.66
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84Kč 80.0
$4.08MX$70.7
-5.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.10Kč 148
$10.32MX$179
-31.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.81Kč 16.82
$1.71MX$29.67
-52.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85Kč 38.54
$2.58MX$44.63
-28.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.19Kč 24.75
$0.51MX$8.83
133.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.01Kč 542
$26.46MX$459
-1.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.26Kč 47.22
$3.26MX$56.5
-30.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.79Kč 16.46
$2.49MX$43.17
-68.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.56Kč 575
$3.25MX$56.3
748.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.68Kč 35.10
$1.31MX$22.65
28.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8KKč 578.6K
$30.3KMX$524.7K
-8.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.9KKč 623.7K
$23.4KMX$406.0K
27.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$299Kč 6,232
$82.9MX$1,436
260.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.60Kč 555
$22.22MX$385
19.71%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.61Kč 430
$29.34MX$508
-29.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$99.4Kč 2,072
$51.6MX$895
92.47%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.15Kč 358
$18.32MX$317
-6.39%
Cinema Ticket
$13.87Kč 289
$5.07MX$87.8
173.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$412Kč 8,581
$201MX$3,480
104.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.2KKč 211.6K
$5,212MX$90.3K
94.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$119Kč 2,479
$36.92MX$640
222.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.43Kč 780
$39.79MX$689
-5.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.5Kč 1,971
$78.5MX$1,360
20.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113Kč 2,358
$87.1MX$1,509
29.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$665Kč 13.9K
$973MX$16.9K
-31.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$555Kč 11.6K
$468MX$8,105
18.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,173Kč 24.5K
$1,641MX$28.4K
-28.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$858Kč 17.9K
$1,221MX$21.2K
-29.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,713Kč 98.3K
$3,946MX$68.4K
19.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,757Kč 99.2K
$6,498MX$112.6K
-26.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pacov
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,150Kč 24.0K
$664MX$11.5K
73.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.85
11.42
-31.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pacov: May 30, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $665 in Pacov and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Pacov 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: $44.00 in Pacov vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $314 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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
Pacov vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pacov or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Pacov. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Pacov or Playa del Carmen?
Pacov pays 73% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Pacov vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $665 in Pacov versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Pacov vs Playa del Carmen?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 2% less than in Pacov. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Pacov and Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $412 in Pacov versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Pacov or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,733 in Pacov, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Pacov. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Pacov or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Pacov compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Pacov and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Pacov. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.