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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Paszto versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,813 in Paszto versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,422 in Paszto versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Paszto costs roughly 6% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Paszto 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.44 Ft 3,568
$11.94 MX$209
-4.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29 Ft 15.1K
$42.75 MX$748
12.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.97 Ft 2,485
$10.59 MX$185
-24.74%
Cappuccino
$2.59 Ft 808
$3.62 MX$63.4
-28.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Ft 431
$1.47 MX$25.69
-6.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 Ft 292
$0.94 MX$16.51
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.57 Ft 803
$3.09 MX$54.1
-16.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 Ft 792
$4.46 MX$78.0
-43.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 Ft 349
$1.43 MX$24.94
-21.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 Ft 474
$1.88 MX$32.97
-19.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 Ft 578
$1.63 MX$28.50
13.50%
Eggs
$2.81 Ft 877
$2.64 MX$46.26
6.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.30 Ft 2,900
$8.21 MX$144
13.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.72 Ft 1,786
$8.29 MX$145
-31.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.11 Ft 3,467
$11.10 MX$194
0.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 Ft 678
$2.65 MX$46.40
-18.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.02 Ft 631
$1.50 MX$26.26
34.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 Ft 631
$1.99 MX$34.79
1.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 Ft 1,355
$2.08 MX$36.33
108.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 Ft 418
$1.79 MX$31.29
-25.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.32 Ft 413
$2.18 MX$38.09
-39.45%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 Ft 467
$1.08 MX$18.84
38.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 Ft 153
$1.04 MX$18.15
-52.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.44 Ft 2,320
$3.97 MX$69.5
87.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.80 Ft 1,496
$10.20 MX$179
-52.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 Ft 341
$1.73 MX$30.22
-36.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 Ft 372
$2.50 MX$43.71
-52.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 Ft 349
$0.52 MX$9.07
115.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.71 Ft 7,710
$26.97 MX$472
-8.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.86 Ft 892
$3.14 MX$55.0
-8.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.16 Ft 361
$2.40 MX$42.04
-51.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.36 Ft 5,417
$3.09 MX$54.0
461.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.68 Ft 525
$1.27 MX$22.28
32.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9K Ft 10.0M
$30.9K MX$540.4K
3.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.6K Ft 11.4M
$23.3K MX$408.0K
57.19%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$145 Ft 45.1K
$82.0 MX$1,435
76.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.72 Ft 9,272
$22.45 MX$393
32.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.41 Ft 7,617
$29.66 MX$519
-17.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.25 Ft 14.7K
$51.9 MX$908
-8.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.74 Ft 5,224
$18.67 MX$327
-10.34%
Cinema Ticket
$7.71 Ft 2,407
$4.97 MX$87.0
55.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$461 Ft 143.9K
$198 MX$3,462
133.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,775 Ft 2.1M
$5,273 MX$92.3K
28.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.8 Ft 28.3K
$36.34 MX$636
149.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.67 Ft 8,008
$40.05 MX$701
-35.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.7 Ft 29.6K
$79.9 MX$1,398
18.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 Ft 32.3K
$88.9 MX$1,555
16.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$438 Ft 136.6K
$963 MX$16.9K
-54.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$349 Ft 108.7K
$465 MX$8,133
-25.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$646 Ft 201.6K
$1,596 MX$27.9K
-59.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$526 Ft 164.3K
$1,209 MX$21.2K
-56.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,125 Ft 974.9K
$3,942 MX$69.0K
-20.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,507 Ft 782.1K
$6,448 MX$112.8K
-61.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$771 Ft 240.6K
$720 MX$12.6K
7.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8
11.42
-29.95%

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

Last update for Paszto: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Paszto and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paszto pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Paszto vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $251, with Paszto cheaper for home cooking.

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
Paszto vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paszto or Playa del Carmen?
Paszto wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Paszto the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Paszto or Playa del Carmen?
Paszto pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Paszto vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Paszto versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Paszto vs Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Paszto – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Paszto compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Paszto versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Paszto or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,204 in Paszto versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Paszto but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Paszto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Paszto or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Paszto delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,204 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Paszto hard to pass up.
How safe is Paszto compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Paszto 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Paszto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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