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: $798 in Pasto versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Pasto versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,633 in Pasto versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Pasto costs roughly 38% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pasto 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.01 COP 12.6K

$11.71 MX$199

-65.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.80 COP 74.9K

$46.59 MX$791

-48.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 23.0K

$11.65 MX$198

-37.42%

Cappuccino

$1.48 COP 4,675

$4.09 MX$69.5

-63.81%

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

$0.89 COP 2,800

$1.37 MX$23.34

-35.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 1,823

$0.83 MX$14.16

-30.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 3,757

$3.35 MX$56.9

-64.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,018

$6.91 MX$117

-67.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,311

$1.73 MX$29.33

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,062

$2.26 MX$38.39

-42.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,729

$1.77 MX$30.05

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.23 COP 7,011

$2.73 MX$46.41

-18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 COP 14.5K

$9.18 MX$156

-49.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 COP 17.1K

$8.92 MX$151

-39.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.17 COP 22.6K

$12.60 MX$214

-43.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 7,627

$3.02 MX$51.3

-19.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 COP 3,290

$1.57 MX$26.68

-33.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,135

$2.13 MX$36.10

-38.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,369

$2.26 MX$38.46

-52.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,693

$2.00 MX$34.04

-41.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 3,710

$2.06 MX$35.06

-42.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 COP 2,584

$1.18 MX$20.04

-30.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,055

$1.20 MX$20.45

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 COP 7,736

$4.63 MX$78.7

-46.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 30.1K

$10.69 MX$182

-10.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,454

$1.62 MX$27.50

-32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 COP 5,584

$2.88 MX$48.93

-38.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,258

$0.57 MX$9.74

26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.53 COP 93.0K

$29.83 MX$507

-1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 4,616

$5.45 MX$92.5

-73.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 COP 5,603

$3.70 MX$62.9

-51.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 COP 19.2K

$5.98 MX$102

1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,002

$1.55 MX$26.38

-38.71%

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

$18.2K COP 57.4M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-18.34%

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

$25.8K COP 81.3M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-0.46%

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

$81.9 COP 257.9K

$89.1 MX$1,514

-8.13%

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

$9.30 COP 29.3K

$25.04 MX$425

-62.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.42 COP 70.6K

$31.50 MX$535

-28.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.72 COP 74.7K

$67.8 MX$1,151

-65.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 COP 12.5K

$5.05 MX$85.8

-21.58%

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

$235 COP 741.2K

$225 MX$3,820

4.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,972 COP 18.8M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

41.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$47.44 MX$806

26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.34 COP 105.0K

$44.98 MX$764

-25.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 COP 264.3K

$82.0 MX$1,392

2.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 COP 229.8K

$92.1 MX$1,564

-20.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 COP 851.8K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-74.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 742.8K

$405 MX$6,884

-41.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-72.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.3M

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-67.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,433 COP 4.5M

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-64.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,059 COP 3.3M

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-84.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

11.45

14.06%

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

Last update for Pasto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Pasto and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Pasto vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $277 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 62% in total monthly costs ($798 vs $1,293 including rent). Pasto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,196 in Pasto and $1,940 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: $270 in Pasto 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 59% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $798 in Pasto versus $1,293 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 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.