Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasco, WA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Pasco, WA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,508 in Pasco, WA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,598 in Pasco, WA versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,688 in Pasco, WA versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pasco, WA is roughly 94% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pasco, WA is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$11.71 MX$199

59.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.9 $66.9

$46.59 MX$791

43.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.25 $13.25

$11.65 MX$198

13.73%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$4.09 MX$69.5

47.43%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.37 MX$23.34

91.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.83 MX$14.16

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$3.35 MX$56.9

142.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$6.91 MX$117

14.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.73 MX$29.33

-39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.26 MX$38.39

118.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.77 MX$30.05

163.28%

Eggs

$3.23 $3.23

$2.73 MX$46.41

18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 $11.96

$9.18 MX$156

30.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.29 $15.29

$8.92 MX$151

71.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.21 $22.21

$12.60 MX$214

76.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$3.02 MX$51.3

114.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.57 MX$26.68

27.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.13 MX$36.10

4.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.26 MX$38.46

-2.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.00 MX$34.04

8.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.06 MX$35.06

6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.18 MX$20.04

65.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.20 MX$20.45

70.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$4.63 MX$78.7

137.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$10.69 MX$182

40.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.62 MX$27.50

117.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.88 MX$48.93

72.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.57 MX$9.74

159.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$5.45 MX$92.5

-7.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$3.70 MX$62.9

-49.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.96 $23.96

$5.98 MX$102

300.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.55 MX$26.38

-17.42%

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

$33.8K $33.8K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

51.40%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-4.63%

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

$305 $305

$89.1 MX$1,514

242.15%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$25.04 MX$425

144.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$31.50 MX$535

123.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.75 $44.75

$67.8 MX$1,151

-33.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$13.95 $13.95

$5.05 MX$85.8

176.24%

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

$1,725 $1,725

$225 MX$3,820

666.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

478.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$47.44 MX$806

35.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.42 $37.42

$44.98 MX$764

-16.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$82.0 MX$1,392

23.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$92.1 MX$1,564

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 $1,482

$1,069 MX$18.2K

38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 $1,093

$405 MX$6,884

169.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,340 $2,340

$1,935 MX$32.9K

20.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 $1,695

$1,301 MX$22.1K

30.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,251 $4,251

$749 MX$12.7K

467.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.19

11.45

-45.94%

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

Last update for Pasco, WA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,482 in Pasco, WA and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasco, WA pays 468% 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: $67.0 in Pasco, WA vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $277 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

Pasco, WA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Pasco, WA. 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 468% higher in Pasco, WA, 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: $1,482 in Pasco, WA versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Pasco, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,508 per month in Pasco, WA versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,508 in Pasco, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Pasco, WA. 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 $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Pasco, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.