😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Perast versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,961 in Perast versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,634 in Perast versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Living in Perast is roughly 2% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Perast4% lower, Playa del Carmen6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.72€8.30
$11.67MX$202
-16.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.31€39.50
$41.88MX$726
10.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.34€7.96
$10.40MX$180
-10.19%
Cappuccino
$2.12€1.80
$3.61MX$62.6
-41.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24€1.91
$1.47MX$25.45
52.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42€1.21
$0.91MX$15.80
56.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.81€2.40
$3.03MX$52.6
-7.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54€3.02
$4.47MX$77.4
-20.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.30€1.11
$1.38MX$23.83
-5.80%
White Bread(500g)
$0.99€0.84
$1.84MX$31.93
-46.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.78€1.52
$1.61MX$27.82
10.56%
Eggs
$3.10€2.65
$2.57MX$44.52
20.62%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.63€7.36
$8.49MX$147
1.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.47€6.37
$8.49MX$147
-12.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.58€8.17
$10.99MX$190
-12.83%
Apples(1kg)
$1.51€1.29
$2.73MX$47.25
-44.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.82€1.55
$1.50MX$25.92
21.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.68€1.43
$1.96MX$33.93
-14.29%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.46€2.10
$2.12MX$36.70
16.04%
Potato(1kg)
$0.97€0.83
$1.86MX$32.30
-47.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.15€0.98
$2.17MX$37.67
-47.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.84€1.57
$1.07MX$18.59
71.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75€0.64
$1.05MX$18.18
-28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10€3.50
$4.19MX$72.6
-2.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$4.60€3.93
$10.28MX$178
-55.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10€0.94
$1.67MX$28.87
-34.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81€1.54
$2.49MX$43.12
-27.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42€1.21
$0.54MX$9.37
162.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$37.85€32.28
$26.27MX$455
44.08%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.67€0.57
$3.10MX$53.8
-78.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.75€0.64
$2.46MX$42.66
-69.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$11.41€9.73
$3.24MX$56.1
252.16%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77€1.51
$1.26MX$21.83
40.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.5K€25.2K
$30.2KMX$522.8K
-2.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.1K€24.8K
$23.4KMX$406.3K
24.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$117€99.5
$84.0MX$1,456
38.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.53€15.81
$22.21MX$385
-16.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.47€27.70
$29.65MX$514
9.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.31€37.79
$52.6MX$912
-15.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.09€12.02
$18.34MX$318
-23.17%
Cinema Ticket
$3.44€2.93
$4.95MX$85.7
-30.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$286€244
$198MX$3,438
44.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,372€6,288
$5,322MX$92.2K
38.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.57€20.11
$35.95MX$623
-34.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.13€32.53
$40.06MX$694
-4.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$95.6€81.5
$78.8MX$1,365
21.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112€95.6
$86.5MX$1,499
29.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$715€610
$977MX$16.9K
-26.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$546€465
$471MX$8,158
15.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,256€1,072
$1,595MX$27.6K
-21.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$910€777
$1,215MX$21.1K
-25.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918€3,342
$4,032MX$69.9K
-2.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,596€2,214
$6,579MX$114.0K
-60.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Perast
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$714MX$12.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.38
11.42
-52.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Perast: April 22, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $715 in Perast and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46 in Perast vs $42 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $252, with Perast 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
Perast vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Perast or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Perast. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Perast vs Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $1,933 in Perast and $1,891 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Perast vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $715 in Perast versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Perast or Playa del Carmen?
Shoppers in Perast pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Perast vs Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $46.00 in Perast. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Perast or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,289 in Perast, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Perast. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Perast or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Perast compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Perast 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Perast. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.