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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,483 in Pago Pago versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,260 in Pago Pago versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,038 in Pago Pago versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pago Pago is roughly 11% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pago Pago is 8% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.73 $35.73

$46.25 MX$784

-22.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$12.59 MX$213

-21.53%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.81 MX$13.73

20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 $4.03

$6.82 MX$116

-40.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.71 MX$29.04

52.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.22 MX$37.62

28.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.72 MX$29.13

154.65%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$2.71 MX$45.99

68.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$9.37 MX$159

8.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 $10.02

$8.86 MX$150

13.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.50 $11.50

$12.78 MX$217

-10.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$3.13 MX$53.0

97.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.55 MX$26.24

-36.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.15 MX$36.51

39.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.35 MX$39.89

73.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.02 MX$34.23

94.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.99 MX$33.67

98.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.24 MX$21.09

63.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.19 MX$20.21

73.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.67 $11.67

$4.65 MX$78.8

150.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 $14.86

$10.47 MX$177

41.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.58 MX$26.82

-38.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.92 MX$49.48

2.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.56 MX$9.53

258.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 $123

$29.76 MX$504

312.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 $5.08

$5.32 MX$90.2

-4.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.72 MX$63.0

-45.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.89 $29.89

$5.78 MX$97.9

417.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.55 MX$26.27

-16.13%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

33.15%

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

$20.0K $20.0K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-21.64%

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

$408 $408

$89.3 MX$1,513

356.85%

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

$29.86 $29.86

$23.30 MX$395

28.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$31.72 MX$538

135.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.31 $49.31

$68.8 MX$1,165

-28.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 $9.94

$29.40 MX$498

-66.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 $8.85

$5.06 MX$85.7

74.90%

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

$1,000 $1,000

$222 MX$3,765

350.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K $10.2K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

136.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 $70.8

$46.21 MX$783

53.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.33 $49.33

$44.43 MX$753

11.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 $81.6

$95.5 MX$1,618

-14.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 $98.2

$92.5 MX$1,568

6.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 $331

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-69.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 $202

$393 MX$6,663

-48.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 $897

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-54.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 $714

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-45.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.7K $17.7K

$4,037 MX$68.4K

338.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

$6,627 MX$112.3K

62.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,194 $1,194

$747 MX$12.7K

59.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

-74.14%

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

Last update for Pago Pago: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $331 in Pago Pago and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pago Pago pays 60% 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: $36.00 in Pago Pago vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $368 vs $277, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Pago Pago. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 60% higher in Pago Pago, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $331 in Pago Pago versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 313% less than in Pago Pago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,000 in Pago Pago versus $222 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,483 in Pago Pago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Pago Pago. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,330 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Pago Pago 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Pago Pago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.