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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $739 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,244 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,748 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Chiclayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.97 PEN 16.84

141.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$32.94 PEN 112

26.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.22 PEN 27.84

30.78%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.06 PEN 13.76

-13.79%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.79 PEN 2.68

83.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.50 PEN 1.70

76.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.60 PEN 8.80

13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.42 PEN 4.82

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.64 PEN 5.54

12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.70 PEN 5.75

-7.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.03 PEN 10.28

-17.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.06 PEN 20.53

36.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.90 PEN 20.00

42.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.49 PEN 28.77

25.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.99 PEN 6.76

31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.65 PEN 5.60

-12.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.09 PEN 3.69

79.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.57 PEN 5.32

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.99 PEN 3.35

86.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.42 PEN 4.82

52.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.66 PEN 2.23

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.67 PEN 2.28

59.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.18 PEN 14.18

-1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$14.71 PEN 49.86

-30.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.35 PEN 4.56

24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.58 PEN 5.36

60.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.48 PEN 1.64

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$27.55 PEN 93.4

-5.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.71 PEN 9.19

19.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.09 PEN 3.69

121.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.84 PEN 16.39

-33.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.28 PEN 4.35

3.13%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.5K PEN 79.7K

26.20%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$22.7K PEN 77.0K

4.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$37.97 PEN 129

115.99%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$15.05 PEN 51.0

52.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$35.57 PEN 121

-15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$32.57 PEN 110

59.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$33.41 PEN 113

-44.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.48 PEN 18.56

-9.12%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$221 PEN 749

-10.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,498 PEN 11.9K

52.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$43.80 PEN 148

-18.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.99 PEN 122

12.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$82.1 PEN 278

-4.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$38.54 PEN 131

130.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$125 PEN 422

660.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$139 PEN 471

241.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$317 PEN 1,075

418.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$362 PEN 1,228

233.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,119 PEN 3,793

262.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,088 PEN 3,688

494.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$473 PEN 1,603

38.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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 Chiclayo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 in Chiclayo. 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 38% 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 $33.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $211 – making Chiclayo 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 Chiclayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $739 in Chiclayo – roughly 70% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,109 in Chiclayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $33.00 in Chiclayo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $739 in Chiclayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiclayo, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Chiclayo 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 $739 in Chiclayo to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chiclayo. 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.