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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $560 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $907 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,254 in Cerro de Pasco, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 133% 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 5% lower, Cerro de Pasco 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.00 PEN 10.05

298.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$29.52 PEN 99.0

60.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.07 PEN 23.70

66.20%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.13 PEN 7.15

93.43%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.76 PEN 2.56

84.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.47 PEN 1.56

93.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.60 PEN 8.72

23.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.57 PEN 15.32

54.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.52 PEN 5.10

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.33 PEN 7.81

-7.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.34 PEN 4.50

32.09%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.47 PEN 8.28

14.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.17 PEN 30.74

0.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.98 PEN 20.05

54.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.10 PEN 27.17

56.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.07 PEN 6.95

42.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.77 PEN 2.58

105.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.43 PEN 1.46

416.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.22 PEN 4.11

93.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.72 PEN 2.40

176.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.51 PEN 1.71

288.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.86 PEN 2.89

44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.90 PEN 3.03

34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.87 PEN 19.69

-21.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.65 PEN 25.63

37.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.01 PEN 6.73

-15.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.64 PEN 8.84

4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.12 PEN 13.80

27.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$2.13 PEN 7.14

71.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.21 PEN 24.17

-19.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.67 PEN 5.60

-7.78%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$22.4K PEN 75.0K

1.87%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.5K PEN 89.0K

-2.75%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$69.8 PEN 234

29.83%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$16.83 PEN 56.4

49.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$27.87 PEN 93.4

13.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.48 PEN 25.08

-35.03%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$185 PEN 622

21.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$13.1K PEN 44.0K

-68.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$55.1 PEN 185

-13.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$35.26 PEN 118

23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$87.2 PEN 292

-7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$80.8 PEN 271

13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$421 PEN 1,412

368.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$476 PEN 1,597

62.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.94

28.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cerro de Pasco: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 62% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $206 – 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 133%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $839 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $30.00 in Cerro de Pasco. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $560, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.