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 $682 per month in Pisco vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,055 per month in Pisco vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,429 per month in Pisco vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pisco is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pisco and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Pisco 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.49 PEN 15.07

$11.71 MX$198

-61.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.63 PEN 109

$46.59 MX$786

-29.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 PEN 23.89

$11.65 MX$197

-38.80%

Cappuccino

$3.34 PEN 11.21

$4.09 MX$69.1

-18.34%

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

$1.12 PEN 3.77

$1.37 MX$23.20

-18.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 PEN 2.07

$0.83 MX$14.07

-25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PEN 9.21

$3.35 MX$56.6

-17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 PEN 15.31

$6.91 MX$117

-33.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 PEN 5.62

$1.73 MX$29.15

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 PEN 7.81

$2.26 MX$38.15

3.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.24

$1.77 MX$29.86

-28.25%

Eggs

$1.37 PEN 4.60

$2.73 MX$46.12

-49.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 PEN 21.75

$9.18 MX$155

-29.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 PEN 16.55

$8.92 MX$151

-44.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 PEN 22.86

$12.60 MX$213

-45.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.58

$3.02 MX$51.0

-54.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 PEN 3.40

$1.57 MX$26.51

-35.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 PEN 4.81

$2.13 MX$35.88

-32.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$2.26 MX$38.22

-74.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 PEN 1.45

$2.00 MX$33.82

-78.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.90

$2.06 MX$34.85

-58.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 PEN 2.83

$1.18 MX$19.91

-27.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.91

$1.20 MX$20.32

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 PEN 19.45

$4.63 MX$78.2

25.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 PEN 30.92

$10.69 MX$180

-13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.36

$1.62 MX$27.33

17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 PEN 8.32

$2.88 MX$48.63

-13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 PEN 3.13

$0.57 MX$9.68

63.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.81 PEN 120

$29.83 MX$503

20.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 PEN 13.34

$5.45 MX$91.9

-26.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 PEN 7.17

$3.70 MX$62.5

-42.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 PEN 24.43

$5.98 MX$101

21.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 PEN 5.76

$1.55 MX$26.22

10.97%

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

$21.8K PEN 73.2K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

-2.20%

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

$25.9K PEN 86.9K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-0.12%

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

$45.42 PEN 152

$89.1 MX$1,504

-49.04%

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

$16.85 PEN 56.5

$25.04 MX$423

-32.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.93 PEN 40.00

$31.50 MX$532

-62.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.56 PEN 68.9

$67.8 MX$1,144

-69.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 PEN 30.14

$28.92 MX$488

-68.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 PEN 24.56

$5.05 MX$85.2

44.95%

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

$181 PEN 605

$225 MX$3,797

-19.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K PEN 44.1K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

211.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 PEN 182

$47.44 MX$801

14.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.39 PEN 44.90

$44.98 MX$759

-70.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.04 PEN 158

$82.0 MX$1,384

-42.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.00 PEN 121

$92.1 MX$1,555

-60.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PEN 551

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-84.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 PEN 444

$405 MX$6,842

-67.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 PEN 488

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-88.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,813 PEN 6,079

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-54.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,391 PEN 4,663

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-79.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$584 PEN 1,957

$749 MX$12.6K

-22.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.45

-21.92%

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

Last update for Pisco: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $164 in Pisco versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 28% 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 $33.00 in Pisco versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $277 – 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: $682 in Pisco, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 90% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,022 per month in Pisco and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pisco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Pisco. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $181 per month in Pisco and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pisco, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $682 in Pisco to $1,293 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.