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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $925 in Pasaje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,431 in Pasaje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,937 in Pasaje, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Pasaje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pasaje are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Pasaje 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.47 $3.47

244.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$47.70 $47.70

-10.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.03 $8.03

31.88%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.63 $2.63

37.64%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.87 $0.87

68.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.61 $0.61

54.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.09 $3.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.48 $4.48

-0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.09 $1.09

31.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.71 $1.71

9.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.70 $1.70

-4.12%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.64 $2.64

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.08 $6.08

35.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.33 $5.33

55.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.09 $6.09

82.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.03 $2.03

30.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.06 $1.06

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.08 $1.08

84.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.04 $1.04

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.85 $1.85

-3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.39 $1.39

56.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.69 $0.69

56.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.01 $1.01

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$6.18 $6.18

-35.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.05 $12.05

-15.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.60 $1.60

8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.14 $2.14

16.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.33 $0.33

57.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$23.92 $23.92

12.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.81 $2.81

11.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.99 $0.99

142.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$9.98 $9.98

-69.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.68 $0.68

86.76%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$24.9K $24.9K

23.93%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

-20.16%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$37.04 $37.04

121.41%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.63 $13.63

64.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$32.36 $32.36

-8.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$30.31 $30.31

71.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$14.68 $14.68

27.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.85 $7.85

-36.69%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$317 $317

-37.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,768 $5,768

-8.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$51.4 $51.4

-29.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$43.95 $43.95

-8.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$102 $102

-21.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$112 $112

-20.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$341 $341

182.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$315 $315

47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$631 $631

153.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$499 $499

142.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,207 $1,207

226.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$875 $875

636.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.35

22.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Pasaje: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $341 in Pasaje. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Pasaje. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $194 in Pasaje – so Pasaje wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Pasaje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Pasaje, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,388 in Pasaje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pasaje, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $48.00 in Pasaje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $925 in Pasaje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pasaje, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Pasaje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pasaje costs $925 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Pasaje. 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.