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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $701 in Cajamarca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,192 in Cajamarca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,683 in Cajamarca.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 80% more expensive than in Cajamarca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Cajamarca 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.66 PEN 12.27

216.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$29.95 PEN 101

57.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.01 PEN 20.16

97.67%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.63 PEN 8.81

51.33%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.81 PEN 2.72

76.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.57 PEN 1.92

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.41 PEN 8.07

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.67 PEN 12.32

85.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.35 PEN 4.53

24.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.31 PEN 11.12

-33.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.27 PEN 4.25

34.65%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.31 PEN 7.74

18.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.89 PEN 26.47

21.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.12 PEN 20.53

47.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.01 PEN 43.64

-1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.11 PEN 3.74

160.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.79 PEN 2.64

89.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.21 PEN 4.07

77.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.12 PEN 3.75

101.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.81 PEN 2.71

144.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.01 PEN 3.38

97.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.76 PEN 2.54

61.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.76 PEN 2.56

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$9.02 PEN 30.26

-49.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$10.53 PEN 35.32

-1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.60 PEN 8.71

-37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.54 PEN 8.53

13.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.59 PEN 1.98

1.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$8.86 PEN 29.73

225.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.83 PEN 6.13

194.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.32 PEN 4.41

182.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.12 PEN 17.20

12.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.60 PEN 5.38

-3.75%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.6K PEN 79.3K

-4.56%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$25.8K PEN 86.5K

1.06%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$49.68 PEN 167

83.94%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.48 PEN 31.82

165.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$29.30 PEN 98.3

6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.19 PEN 105

115.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$20.98 PEN 70.4

38.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.82 PEN 16.16

0.83%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$140 PEN 469

60.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,389 PEN 14.7K

-3.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$52.3 PEN 175

-9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$30.27 PEN 102

46.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$83.1 PEN 279

-3.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$81.9 PEN 275

13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$203 PEN 680

424.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$106 PEN 356

268.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$538 PEN 1,804

299.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$323 PEN 1,084

293.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,337 PEN 7,842

71.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$728 PEN 2,442

4.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.5

9.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cajamarca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $203 in Cajamarca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 4% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Cajamarca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $231 per month, with Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cajamarca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 4% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $203 in Cajamarca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cajamarca runs roughly 225% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $140 in Cajamarca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $701 in Cajamarca versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cajamarca but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cajamarca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cajamarca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Cajamarca 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 Cajamarca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.