Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pisa and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,257 in Pisa, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pisa, Italy
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Pisa
🇮🇹 Italy
$2,257
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pisa and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pisa and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,257 in Pisa versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Pisa $2,257
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,377 in Pisa versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Pisa $3,377
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,498 in Pisa versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Pisa $4,498
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Pisa is roughly 87% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pisa is 66% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.09 €18.00
$10.92 MX$205
83.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.0 €72.6
$43.37 MX$815
86.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.45 €10.26
$11.78 MX$221
-2.80%
Cappuccino
$2.09 €1.87
$3.81 MX$71.6
-45.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 €3.02
$1.28 MX$24.10
163.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 €1.25
$0.78 MX$14.71
79.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.52 €5.85
$3.17 MX$59.5
105.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 €3.92
$4.93 MX$92.7
-11.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.41 MX$26.43
21.99%
White Bread (500g)
$2.10 €1.88
$2.22 MX$41.66
-5.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.13 €2.81
$1.42 MX$26.64
120.42%
Eggs
$5.41 €4.85
$2.52 MX$47.41
114.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$27.47 €24.61
$7.26 MX$137
278.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.21 €14.52
$7.70 MX$145
110.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.04 €22.44
$12.69 MX$239
97.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.03 €2.72
$2.78 MX$52.3
8.99%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 €1.86
$1.37 MX$25.71
51.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.20 €2.87
$2.55 MX$47.94
25.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.23 €2.89
$2.12 MX$39.90
52.36%
Potato (1kg)
$3.05 €2.73
$1.94 MX$36.43
57.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 €1.93
$1.89 MX$35.44
14.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.67
$1.15 MX$21.55
62.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 €0.75
$1.18 MX$22.16
-29.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.88 €7.06
$4.30 MX$80.7
83.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.30 €7.44
$9.95 MX$187
-16.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.61 €2.34
$1.58 MX$29.76
65.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07 €3.65
$2.67 MX$50.2
52.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 €1.74
$0.55 MX$10.40
252.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.00 €39.43
$26.62 MX$500
65.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.64 €5.06
$4.97 MX$93.4
13.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.21 €1.98
$3.33 MX$62.6
-33.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.93 €10.69
$5.36 MX$101
122.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 €1.82
$1.44 MX$27.14
40.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K €31.8K
$20.7K MX$388.4K
71.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K €33.2K
$23.5K MX$441.0K
58.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$336 €301
$84.8 MX$1,594
295.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.23 €10.96
$23.41 MX$440
-47.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.08 €37.71
$28.66 MX$539
46.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.43 €42.50
$57.1 MX$1,072
-16.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.56 €22.00
$28.91 MX$543
-15.05%
Cinema Ticket
$10.55 €9.45
$5.14 MX$96.6
105.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$651 €583
$207 MX$3,882
214.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,836 €7,918
$3,927 MX$73.8K
124.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.2 €88.9
$43.35 MX$815
128.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$75.5 €67.7
$41.44 MX$779
82.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.6 €77.6
$74.2 MX$1,394
16.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$196 €176
$89.3 MX$1,677
119.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,046 €937
$980 MX$18.4K
6.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$807 €723
$381 MX$7,157
111.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,742 €1,561
$1,708 MX$32.1K
2.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,332 €1,194
$1,075 MX$20.2K
23.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,504 €3,140
$3,943 MX$74.1K
-11.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,907 €2,605
$6,158 MX$115.7K
-52.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pisa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,686 €1,511
$735 MX$13.8K
129.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.7
11.45
-67.69%

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

Last update for Pisa: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pisa
$807
Playa del Carmen
$381 52.8% $426
Groceries & Markets
Pisa
$436
Playa del Carmen
$255 41.6% $181
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pisa
$390
Playa del Carmen
$137 64.9% $253
Eating Out
Pisa
$281
Playa del Carmen
$202 27.9% $78
Clothing & Footwear
Pisa
$206
Playa del Carmen
$112 45.7% $94
Sport & Entertainment
Pisa
$69
Playa del Carmen
$67 1.8% $1.2
Getting Around
Pisa
$68
Playa del Carmen
$50 26.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,046 in Pisa and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pisa pays about 2.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $81 in Pisa vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $255 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Pisa
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
03:36 3:36 AM
21:36 9:36 PM
6 h behind Pisa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
97,888
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pisa Playa del Carmen 9,010 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Pisa
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Pisa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Pisa or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 47% lower than in Pisa. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Pisa or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay in Pisa is about 2.3 times higher, 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 Pisa compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,046 in Pisa versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Pisa and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $651 in Pisa versus $207 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Pisa or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Pisa. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Pisa or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,257 in Pisa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Pisa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Pisa or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Pisa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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