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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $823 in Pago Pago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,391 in Pago Pago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,958 in Pago Pago.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 57% more expensive than Pago Pago, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Pago Pago 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$24.64 $24.64

-52.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$7.09 $7.09

489.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.02 $1.02

253.92%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.22 $1.22

19.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.03 $2.03

43.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.97 $1.97

134.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.48 $2.48

-42.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$2.91 $2.91

-34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$4.42 $4.42

-64.48%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.47 $4.47

-40.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$10.23 $10.23

-17.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$11.20 $11.20

-1.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$11.49 $11.49

-63.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$15.22 $15.22

-32.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.87 $2.87

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$2.04 $2.04

-73.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.11 $5.11

-37.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.33 $1.33

-0.75%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

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

$22.41 MX$386

$29.85 $29.85

-24.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$75.2 $75.2

-60.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$50.2 $50.2

2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$10.10 $10.10

82.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$8.85 $8.85

-41.69%

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

$202 MX$3,471

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$151 $151

530.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$199 $199

140.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$908 $908

78.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$710 $710

72.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$18.2K $18.2K

-77.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$10.6K $10.6K

-38.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$1,203 $1,203

-44.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $151 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pago Pago pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $7.00 in Pago Pago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $190 per month, with Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pago Pago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Pago Pago earns 79% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 in Pago Pago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $823 in Pago Pago – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $823 in Pago Pago versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pago Pago delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $823 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pago Pago hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Pago Pago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.