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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $793 in Pasto versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Pasto versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,645 in Pasto versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pasto costs roughly 39% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasto 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 COP 13.8K

$11.73 MX$203

-67.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.70 COP 84.6K

$41.62 MX$720

-43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.44 COP 26.6K

$10.64 MX$184

-30.08%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,520

$3.52 MX$60.9

-55.97%

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

$0.86 COP 3,055

$1.51 MX$26.12

-43.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 2,029

$0.97 MX$16.84

-41.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,233

$2.95 MX$51.0

-59.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 COP 7,683

$4.45 MX$77.0

-51.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,936

$1.38 MX$23.93

-20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,661

$1.89 MX$32.72

-30.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,075

$1.64 MX$28.32

-30.49%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,810

$2.51 MX$43.34

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.34 MX$144

-47.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 COP 19.1K

$8.34 MX$144

-35.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 COP 26.4K

$10.73 MX$186

-31.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 8,685

$2.60 MX$45.04

-6.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 COP 3,732

$1.46 MX$25.20

-28.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,805

$1.90 MX$32.87

-28.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,962

$2.08 MX$35.91

-46.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,015

$1.78 MX$30.71

-37.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,221

$2.19 MX$37.80

-46.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 COP 3,113

$1.04 MX$17.99

-16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,443

$1.08 MX$18.62

-37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 COP 8,589

$4.08 MX$70.6

-40.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 COP 33.5K

$10.32 MX$178

-9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,894

$1.71 MX$29.61

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 COP 6,180

$2.58 MX$44.54

-32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,429

$0.51 MX$8.81

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.81 COP 106.5K

$26.46 MX$458

12.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,281

$3.26 MX$56.4

-54.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 COP 6,325

$2.49 MX$43.09

-28.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 COP 21.6K

$3.25 MX$56.2

85.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,303

$1.31 MX$22.61

-29.77%

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

$18.0K COP 64.3M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-40.55%

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

$25.3K COP 90.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

7.98%

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

$84.1 COP 300.2K

$82.9 MX$1,433

1.45%

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

$8.99 COP 32.1K

$22.22 MX$384

-59.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.92 COP 81.8K

$29.34 MX$507

-21.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.56 COP 84.1K

$51.6 MX$893

-54.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 COP 13.7K

$5.07 MX$87.6

-24.06%

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

$240 COP 856.6K

$201 MX$3,473

19.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,010 COP 21.5M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

15.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 COP 212.4K

$36.92 MX$639

61.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.25 COP 118.7K

$39.79 MX$688

-16.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 COP 295.0K

$78.5 MX$1,357

5.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 COP 263.2K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-15.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 COP 955.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

-72.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 863.9K

$468 MX$8,090

-48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 COP 1.9M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-67.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 COP 1.5M

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-66.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,453 COP 5.2M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-63.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 COP 3.8M

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-83.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.42

14.36%

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

Last update for Pasto: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $268 in Pasto and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Pasto vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $249 per month, with Pasto 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

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

Pasto and Playa del Carmen differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($793 vs $1,297 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,189 in Pasto and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $268 in Pasto versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Pasto – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $793 in Pasto versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pasto but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Pasto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Pasto 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 Pasto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.