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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $925 per month in Pasaje vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Pasaje vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,937 per month in Pasaje vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pasaje is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pasaje and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pasaje 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 $3.47

$11.94 MX$208

-70.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.70 $47.70

$42.75 MX$744

11.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 $8.03

$10.59 MX$184

-24.17%

Cappuccino

$2.63 $2.63

$3.62 MX$63.0

-27.35%

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

$0.87 $0.87

$1.47 MX$25.54

-40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.94 MX$16.41

-35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.46 MX$77.6

0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.43 MX$24.80

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.88 MX$32.79

-9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.63 MX$28.34

4.29%

Eggs

$2.64 $2.64

$2.64 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 $6.08

$8.21 MX$143

-25.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$8.29 MX$144

-35.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$11.10 MX$193

-45.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.65 MX$46.14

-23.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.50 MX$26.11

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.99 MX$34.59

-45.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.08 MX$36.13

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.79 MX$31.11

3.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.18 MX$37.87

-36.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 $0.69

$1.08 MX$18.73

-36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.04 MX$18.04

-2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.18 $6.18

$3.97 MX$69.1

55.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 $12.05

$10.20 MX$178

18.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.73 MX$30.04

-7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.50 MX$43.46

-14.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.52 MX$9.02

-36.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.92 $23.92

$26.97 MX$469

-11.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.14 MX$54.7

-10.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.40 MX$41.80

-58.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 $9.98

$3.09 MX$53.7

222.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$1.27 MX$22.16

-46.46%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-19.31%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

25.25%

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

$37.04 $37.04

$82.0 MX$1,427

-54.83%

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

$13.63 $13.63

$22.45 MX$391

-39.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.36 $32.36

$29.66 MX$516

9.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.31 $30.31

$51.9 MX$903

-41.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 $14.68

$18.67 MX$325

-21.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 $7.85

$4.97 MX$86.5

57.95%

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

$317 $317

$198 MX$3,442

60.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,768 $5,768

$5,273 MX$91.7K

9.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$36.34 MX$632

41.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.95 $43.95

$40.05 MX$697

9.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$79.9 MX$1,390

27.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$88.9 MX$1,547

26.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 $341

$963 MX$16.8K

-64.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 $315

$465 MX$8,086

-32.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 $631

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-60.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 $499

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-58.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,207 $1,207

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-69.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$875 $875

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-86.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

11.42

-18.13%

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

Last update for Pasaje: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Pasaje versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Pasaje versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Pasaje vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Pasaje wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Pasaje, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Pasaje and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasaje, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Pasaje and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Pasaje and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasaje, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Pasaje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pasaje costs $925 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Pasaje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.