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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $751 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,258 in Chiclayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,765 in Chiclayo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% more than Chiclayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chiclayo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Chiclayo 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.95 PEN 16.85

136.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$33.86 PEN 115

22.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.31 PEN 28.27

28.04%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.08 PEN 13.89

-13.73%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.86 PEN 2.94

75.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.50 PEN 1.70

94.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.49 PEN 8.46

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.43 PEN 4.85

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.61 PEN 5.48

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.70 PEN 5.79

-3.53%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.05 PEN 10.39

-17.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.08 PEN 20.67

37.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.87 PEN 19.96

42.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.74 PEN 29.74

22.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.91 PEN 6.49

36.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.57 PEN 5.33

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.09 PEN 3.71

74.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.58 PEN 5.37

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.91 PEN 3.11

95.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.37 PEN 4.67

59.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.70 PEN 2.40

48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.68 PEN 2.30

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.40 PEN 14.98

-7.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.66 PEN 49.88

-29.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.33 PEN 4.54

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.60 PEN 5.46

61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.51 PEN 1.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$27.32 PEN 93.0

-3.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.70 PEN 9.19

20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.12 PEN 3.82

122.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.73 PEN 16.08

-31.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.29 PEN 4.38

1.55%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.5K PEN 79.9K

28.92%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.6K PEN 77.0K

3.58%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$38.47 PEN 131

115.41%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$14.88 PEN 50.6

49.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$35.07 PEN 119

-16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$31.96 PEN 109

61.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$33.46 PEN 114

-45.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.68 PEN 19.32

-10.74%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$225 PEN 764

-10.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,378 PEN 11.5K

54.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$44.75 PEN 152

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$36.52 PEN 124

8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$82.3 PEN 280

-4.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$39.36 PEN 134

121.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$125 PEN 426

677.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$137 PEN 468

240.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$326 PEN 1,108

404.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$361 PEN 1,228

238.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,112 PEN 3,784

254.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,109 PEN 3,772

486.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$469 PEN 1,594

41.69%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiclayo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 42% 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 $34.00 in Chiclayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $210 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $751 in Chiclayo – roughly 73% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,127 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 $34.00 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $751 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 $751, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $751 in Chiclayo to $1,297 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.