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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $692 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,046 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,400 in Cusco.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 89% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cusco 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.60 PEN 8.73

360.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$21.14 PEN 70.9

124.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.59 PEN 22.08

78.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.24 PEN 7.50

83.93%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.75 PEN 2.51

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.34 PEN 1.13

167.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.12 PEN 7.11

51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.39 PEN 14.70

61.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.29 PEN 4.34

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.36 PEN 7.90

-8.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.36 PEN 4.55

30.15%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.71 PEN 12.45

-23.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.01 PEN 16.81

83.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.52 PEN 15.14

104.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.49 PEN 25.11

68.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.62 PEN 8.77

12.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.85 PEN 2.86

85.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.45 PEN 4.86

53.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.91 PEN 3.04

159.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.06 PEN 3.56

87.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.11 PEN 3.70

78.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.50 PEN 1.67

148.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.78 PEN 2.63

55.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$5.82 PEN 19.50

80.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.91 PEN 6.39

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.41 PEN 14.78

-37.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.31 PEN 1.05

93.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.75 PEN 5.87

199.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.97 PEN 6.61

85.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$3.04 PEN 10.18

90.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.55 PEN 5.20

-0.65%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$29.68 PEN 99.5

205.49%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$14.70 PEN 49.29

71.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$45.60 PEN 153

-30.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$35.58 PEN 119

93.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.38 PEN 14.69

10.96%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$39.30 PEN 132

20.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$34.46 PEN 116

26.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$55.4 PEN 186

44.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$73.4 PEN 246

24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$149 PEN 501

626.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$177 PEN 592

131.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$358 PEN 1,199

451.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$271 PEN 910

372.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,931 PEN 13.2K

2.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,777 PEN 5,958

277.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$447 PEN 1,497

73.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Cusco: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $149 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 73% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $21.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $192 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, Getting Around. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 73% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% 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 $21.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $692 in Cusco versus $1,305 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.