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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Ayacucho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $191 in Ayacucho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $273 in Ayacucho.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 1054% more expensive than in Ayacucho, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ayacucho 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.70 PEN 5.78

605.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$13.69 PEN 46.43

205.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.13 PEN 14.00

160.29%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.17 PEN 7.38

61.29%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.84 PEN 2.87

72.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.29 PEN 0.99

203.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.89 PEN 6.41

56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.25 PEN 7.62

100.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$5.94 PEN 20.16

71.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$25.40 PEN 86.2

104.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,890 PEN 6,413

114.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,764 PEN 5,983

266.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$481 PEN 1,631

36.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ayacucho: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Ayacucho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $12.00 per month, with Ayacucho cheaper across the board.

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

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

Ayacucho wins on cost – living expenses run 1054% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayacucho the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Ayacucho – a 1054% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1992% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $109 in Ayacucho versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ayacucho but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ayacucho the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ayacucho delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $109 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ayacucho hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ayacucho are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ayacucho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1054% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.