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: $789 in Pasto versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,197 in Pasto versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,606 in Pasto versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pasto costs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasto 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.86 COP 12.6K

$11.99 MX$210

-67.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.39 COP 76.2K

$41.78 MX$733

-44.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 COP 23.4K

$10.75 MX$189

-33.12%

Cappuccino

$1.51 COP 4,924

$3.50 MX$61.3

-56.86%

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

$0.92 COP 2,991

$1.45 MX$25.41

-36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,842

$0.88 MX$15.52

-35.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 3,733

$2.95 MX$51.7

-61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 6,900

$4.51 MX$79.1

-52.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,465

$1.43 MX$25.12

-25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,239

$1.84 MX$32.23

-29.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,827

$1.57 MX$27.51

-24.84%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,207

$2.51 MX$44.06

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 COP 15.1K

$8.28 MX$145

-44.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 COP 16.9K

$8.43 MX$148

-38.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 COP 24.3K

$10.68 MX$187

-30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 7,873

$2.61 MX$45.76

-7.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,554

$1.44 MX$25.22

-24.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 COP 4,213

$1.96 MX$34.41

-34.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,611

$2.09 MX$36.74

-46.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,670

$1.85 MX$32.47

-38.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,825

$2.17 MX$38.02

-45.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,799

$1.03 MX$18.09

-16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,262

$1.07 MX$18.84

-35.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 COP 7,934

$4.10 MX$72.0

-40.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 COP 31.6K

$10.17 MX$178

-4.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,542

$1.68 MX$29.38

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 COP 5,857

$2.53 MX$44.31

-28.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,339

$0.51 MX$8.93

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.17 COP 98.2K

$26.04 MX$457

15.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,799

$3.23 MX$56.7

-54.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 5,568

$2.41 MX$42.19

-29.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.95 COP 19.4K

$3.23 MX$56.6

84.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,305

$1.32 MX$23.17

-22.73%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-39.40%

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

$25.8K COP 84.1M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

9.11%

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

$83.9 COP 273.1K

$82.0 MX$1,439

2.28%

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

$9.33 COP 30.4K

$22.95 MX$403

-59.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.71 COP 73.9K

$30.11 MX$528

-24.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 COP 77.0K

$52.0 MX$912

-54.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 13.2K

$4.98 MX$87.3

-18.67%

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

$236 COP 769.1K

$197 MX$3,463

19.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,941 COP 19.3M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

11.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 COP 192.1K

$35.60 MX$624

65.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.12 COP 107.8K

$40.33 MX$707

-17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 COP 275.3K

$78.8 MX$1,381

7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 COP 237.3K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 COP 899.6K

$947 MX$16.6K

-70.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 767.7K

$474 MX$8,314

-50.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 COP 1.7M

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-68.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 COP 1.4M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-65.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,429 COP 4.7M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-64.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,055 COP 3.4M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-83.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Pasto and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Pasto vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 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 59% in total monthly costs ($789 vs $1,256 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,183 in Pasto and $1,884 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: $276 in Pasto versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% 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 $23.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $789 in Pasto versus $1,256 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 59% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.