Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cerro de Pasco Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cerro de Pasco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $529 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $843 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,156 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 137% more than Cerro de Pasco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cerro de Pasco are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Cerro de Pasco 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$2.73 PEN 9.25

339.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$28.00 PEN 95.0

49.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.01 PEN 23.79

53.35%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.98 PEN 6.72

76.77%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.71 PEN 2.42

104.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.44 PEN 1.48

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.23 PEN 7.58

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$3.80 PEN 12.90

18.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.42 PEN 4.81

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.26 PEN 7.66

-18.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.20 PEN 4.09

30.83%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.28 PEN 7.73

10.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$8.09 PEN 27.44

2.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.72 PEN 19.39

47.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.84 PEN 26.58

36.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.04 PEN 6.91

27.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.70 PEN 2.38

105.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.40 PEN 1.36

390.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.14 PEN 3.87

83.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.71 PEN 2.42

160.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.52 PEN 1.77

317.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.89 PEN 3.01

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.81 PEN 2.74

32.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$5.70 PEN 19.34

-28.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$7.35 PEN 24.93

38.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.69 PEN 5.72

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.52 PEN 8.57

0.40%

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

$3.28 PEN 11.12

-1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$2.21 PEN 7.48

9.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.49 PEN 28.79

-61.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.37 PEN 4.64

-3.65%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$19.8K PEN 67.1K

50.23%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$24.2K PEN 82.1K

-2.23%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$56.1 PEN 190

46.29%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$12.48 PEN 42.33

83.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$23.99 PEN 81.4

25.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.86 PEN 23.28

-27.41%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$214 PEN 728

-7.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$8,047 PEN 27.3K

-33.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$49.42 PEN 168

-27.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$36.25 PEN 123

11.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$88.8 PEN 301

-11.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$91.1 PEN 309

-2.39%

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

$382 PEN 1,297

329.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$467 PEN 1,584

40.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.11

12.96%

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 Cerro de Pasco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 40% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $193 – making Cerro de Pasco 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

Playa del Carmen vs Cerro de Pasco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 137%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $794 in Cerro de Pasco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $28.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cerro de Pasco, where all-in costs run around $529, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Cerro de Pasco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cerro de Pasco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cerro de Pasco. 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.