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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $530 per month in Pisco vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $822 per month in Pisco vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Pisco vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pisco is about 59% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pisco and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 PEN 7.33

$11.73 MX$203

-81.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.16 PEN 37.98

$41.62 MX$720

-73.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.31 PEN 11.27

$10.64 MX$184

-68.89%

Cappuccino

$1.40 PEN 4.76

$3.52 MX$60.9

-60.23%

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

$0.66 PEN 2.24

$1.51 MX$26.12

-56.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 PEN 0.91

$0.97 MX$16.84

-72.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PEN 6.57

$2.95 MX$51.0

-34.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 PEN 13.42

$4.45 MX$77.0

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 PEN 5.04

$1.38 MX$23.93

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 PEN 8.94

$1.89 MX$32.72

39.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 PEN 4.56

$1.64 MX$28.32

-18.29%

Eggs

$2.97 PEN 10.11

$2.51 MX$43.34

18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 PEN 26.39

$8.34 MX$144

-6.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 PEN 19.64

$8.34 MX$144

-30.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 PEN 36.27

$10.73 MX$186

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 PEN 6.98

$2.60 MX$45.04

-21.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 PEN 3.78

$1.46 MX$25.20

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 PEN 3.70

$1.90 MX$32.87

-42.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 PEN 4.27

$2.08 MX$35.91

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 PEN 3.53

$1.78 MX$30.71

-41.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 PEN 3.24

$2.19 MX$37.80

-56.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 PEN 2.79

$1.04 MX$17.99

-21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 PEN 2.92

$1.08 MX$18.62

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 PEN 18.50

$4.08 MX$70.6

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 PEN 30.43

$10.32 MX$178

-13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 PEN 5.79

$1.71 MX$29.61

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 PEN 10.35

$2.58 MX$44.54

17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 PEN 11.50

$3.26 MX$56.4

3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 PEN 7.52

$2.49 MX$43.09

-11.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 PEN 28.50

$3.25 MX$56.2

157.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 PEN 4.59

$1.31 MX$22.61

3.05%

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

$19.8K PEN 67.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-34.70%

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

$24.8K PEN 84.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

5.86%

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

$57.2 PEN 194

$82.9 MX$1,433

-31.01%

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

$12.41 PEN 42.22

$22.22 MX$384

-44.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.50 PEN 80.0

$29.34 MX$507

-19.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 PEN 23.50

$5.07 MX$87.6

36.29%

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

$215 PEN 731

$201 MX$3,473

7.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,083 PEN 27.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

55.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 PEN 169

$36.92 MX$639

34.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 PEN 121

$39.79 MX$688

-10.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 PEN 303

$78.5 MX$1,357

13.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 PEN 310

$87.1 MX$1,506

4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 PEN 6,154

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-54.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 PEN 4,542

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-79.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 PEN 1,985

$664 MX$11.5K

-12.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.11

11.42

-11.47%

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

Last update for Pisco: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 14% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Pisco versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $249 – making Pisco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Pisco vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $530 in Pisco, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 145% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $795 per month in Pisco and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Pisco and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pisco, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Pisco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $530 in Pisco to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Pisco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.