🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,180 in Paszto versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,818 in Paszto versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,455 in Paszto versus $2,990 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: Paszto11% lower, Playa del Carmen5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.29Ft 3,556
$11.72MX$203
-3.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.47Ft 15.3K
$41.89MX$725
15.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.28Ft 2,609
$10.51MX$182
-21.22%
Cappuccino
$2.45Ft 771
$3.59MX$62.0
-31.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41Ft 443
$1.51MX$26.10
-6.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92Ft 289
$0.92MX$15.83
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.64Ft 831
$2.96MX$51.2
-10.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61Ft 822
$4.41MX$76.3
-40.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.12Ft 353
$1.40MX$24.16
-20.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47Ft 463
$1.88MX$32.60
-21.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.85Ft 583
$1.56MX$26.97
18.59%
Eggs
$2.92Ft 920
$2.61MX$45.14
11.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.09Ft 2,863
$8.32MX$144
9.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.63Ft 1,775
$8.35MX$145
-32.57%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.34Ft 3,573
$10.86MX$188
4.42%
Apples(1kg)
$2.17Ft 683
$2.71MX$46.93
-19.93%
Banana(1kg)
$2.04Ft 643
$1.51MX$26.04
35.10%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01Ft 633
$1.87MX$32.41
7.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.32Ft 1,362
$2.19MX$37.89
97.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.33Ft 420
$1.86MX$32.14
-28.49%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30Ft 409
$2.23MX$38.59
-41.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.49Ft 469
$1.07MX$18.48
39.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49Ft 153
$1.09MX$18.79
-55.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.53Ft 2,374
$4.19MX$72.4
79.71%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.80Ft 1,513
$10.43MX$180
-53.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10Ft 346
$1.66MX$28.68
-33.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19Ft 373
$2.61MX$45.19
-54.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17Ft 370
$0.54MX$9.37
116.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.90Ft 7,847
$26.16MX$453
-4.82%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.86Ft 902
$3.08MX$53.3
-7.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.16Ft 365
$2.40MX$41.61
-51.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.05Ft 5,372
$3.13MX$54.1
444.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77Ft 556
$1.31MX$22.69
35.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.2KFt 9.8M
$29.8KMX$515.7K
4.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.8KFt 11.6M
$23.3KMX$403.5K
57.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$144Ft 45.3K
$81.3MX$1,406
76.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.45Ft 9,279
$22.56MX$390
30.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.35Ft 7,672
$30.05MX$520
-18.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.87Ft 14.8K
$52.9MX$915
-11.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.53Ft 5,208
$18.39MX$318
-10.11%
Cinema Ticket
$7.93Ft 2,498
$4.92MX$85.1
61.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$457Ft 143.8K
$201MX$3,474
127.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,703Ft 2.1M
$5,175MX$89.5K
29.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.0Ft 28.0K
$35.92MX$622
147.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.15Ft 8,239
$40.13MX$694
-34.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.5Ft 29.8K
$79.7MX$1,379
18.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104Ft 32.7K
$86.5MX$1,496
20.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$451Ft 142.0K
$978MX$16.9K
-53.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$343Ft 107.9K
$470MX$8,140
-27.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$627Ft 197.6K
$1,651MX$28.6K
-62.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$539Ft 169.8K
$1,203MX$20.8K
-55.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,894Ft 911.8K
$3,953MX$68.4K
-26.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,633Ft 829.5K
$6,607MX$114.3K
-60.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paszto
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$752Ft 236.9K
$677MX$11.7K
11.14%
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: July 26, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Paszto and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Paszto pays 11% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $252, 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 in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 11% higher in Paszto, 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 compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $451 in Paszto versus $978 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 and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Paszto – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $42.00 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 $1,180 per month in Paszto versus $1,260 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 in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,180 in Paszto versus $1,260 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 $1,180 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.