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: $815 in Pago Pago versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Pago Pago versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,955 in Pago Pago versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pago Pago costs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pago Pago 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.34 $25.34

$11.87 MX$204

113.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.82 $6.82

$42.90 MX$736

-84.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$1.01 $1.01

$3.45 MX$59.2

-70.72%

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

$1.22 $1.22

$1.50 MX$25.81

-18.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.03 MX$51.9

-34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$4.61 MX$79.1

-55.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.38 MX$23.61

81.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.85 MX$31.70

53.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.61 MX$27.65

170.19%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$2.59 MX$44.51

76.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 $10.26

$8.26 MX$142

24.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 $11.40

$10.66 MX$183

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 $11.27

$4.15 MX$71.2

171.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$10.39 MX$178

47.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.61 MX$44.85

13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.54 MX$9.30

281.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.13 MX$53.7

55.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.27 MX$21.88

2.36%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$29.51 $29.51

$22.71 MX$390

29.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$29.46 MX$506

158.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 $50.2

$51.0 MX$875

-1.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.05 $10.05

$18.33 MX$315

-45.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 $9.14

$4.93 MX$84.5

85.40%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 $148

$956 MX$16.4K

-84.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 $203

$477 MX$8,189

-57.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 $900

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-45.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 $689

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-43.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.6K $17.6K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

349.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

68.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,214 $1,214

$667 MX$11.4K

81.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Pago Pago: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $148 in Pago Pago and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pago Pago pays 82% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $7.00 in Pago Pago vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $250 per month, with Pago Pago 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

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

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pago Pago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Pago Pago pays 82% more on average, 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: $148 in Pago Pago versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $815 per month in Pago Pago versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $815 in Pago Pago versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pago Pago delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $815 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.