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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $747 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,171 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,596 in Cusco.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 74% more expensive than Cusco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cusco 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.81 PEN 9.56

317.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.73 PEN 94.3

50.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.64 PEN 19.20

88.65%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.02 PEN 6.86

74.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.23 PEN 4.17

22.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.74 PEN 2.50

31.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.19 PEN 7.44

34.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.23 PEN 14.39

5.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.46 PEN 4.95

-5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$3.01 PEN 10.24

-37.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.33 PEN 4.53

23.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.87 PEN 13.15

-35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.76 PEN 16.20

75.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.89 PEN 16.62

70.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.88 PEN 23.41

55.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.37 PEN 8.06

9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.72 PEN 2.45

102.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.27 PEN 4.32

49.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.90 PEN 3.05

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.00 PEN 3.39

78.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.96 PEN 3.26

128.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.70 PEN 2.37

48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.68 PEN 2.31

58.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.83 PEN 16.42

-15.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.86 PEN 19.93

76.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.98 PEN 6.74

-13.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.06 PEN 10.42

-15.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.27 PEN 0.91

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.69 PEN 5.74

92.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.61 PEN 5.48

54.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.79 PEN 9.49

16.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.51 PEN 5.13

-13.25%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$18.8K PEN 63.9K

61.15%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.1K PEN 75.2K

5.97%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$33.09 PEN 113

150.44%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$14.07 PEN 47.86

57.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$30.14 PEN 103

-2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$30.93 PEN 105

66.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.76 PEN 16.19

6.51%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$36.52 PEN 124

1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$28.63 PEN 97.4

38.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$61.6 PEN 210

27.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$70.4 PEN 239

23.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$304 PEN 1,033

220.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$250 PEN 850

87.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$582 PEN 1,979

182.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$410 PEN 1,395

197.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,889 PEN 13.2K

1.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,754 PEN 5,968

270.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$432 PEN 1,471

53.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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 Cusco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $304 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 54% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $28.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $194 per month, with Cusco 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 Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 54% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $304 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $747 in Cusco versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco 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.

Expats usually find Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.