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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,078 in Perm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,629 in Perm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,180 in Perm, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Perm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Perm are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Perm 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$8.66 ₽650

37.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$31.41 ₽2,360

36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$5.39 ₽405

96.47%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.26 ₽170

60.18%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.01 ₽76.2

45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.41 ₽30.52

129.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$1.29 ₽96.8

139.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.60 ₽196

71.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.93 ₽69.8

53.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.67 ₽50.3

180.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.47 ₽110

10.88%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.75 ₽131

50.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.21 ₽692

-10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.73 ₽355

75.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$10.04 ₽754

10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.65 ₽124

60.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.82 ₽137

-17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.80 ₽135

10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.52 ₽189

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.97 ₽73.0

84.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.82 ₽61.5

165.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.08 ₽81.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.67 ₽50.4

55.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.26 ₽245

21.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.41 ₽707

8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.02 ₽76.9

69.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.90 ₽143

31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.52 ₽39.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$23.25 ₽1,747

16.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.77 ₽133

77.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.18 ₽13.39

1233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$4.44 ₽333

-30.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.78 ₽58.5

62.82%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$31.3K ₽2.4M

-1.30%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$38.5K ₽2.9M

-39.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$104 ₽7,808

-21.09%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$5.75 ₽432

290.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$9.43 ₽709

214.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$31.23 ₽2,346

66.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$16.55 ₽1,243

12.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.00 ₽375

-0.60%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$334 ₽25.1K

-40.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$4,956 ₽372.3K

6.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$98.5 ₽7,401

-63.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$39.68 ₽2,981

0.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$141 ₽10.6K

-43.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$150 ₽11.2K

-40.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$542 ₽40.7K

77.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$359 ₽27.0K

29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$838 ₽62.9K

90.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$588 ₽44.2K

105.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$2,283 ₽171.6K

72.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,655 ₽124.4K

289.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$866 ₽65.1K

-16.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

17.62

-35.19%

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 Perm: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $542 in Perm. 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 20% higher in Perm, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Perm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $194 – making Perm 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 Perm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,618 in Perm. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perm, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $31.00 in Perm. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perm, where all-in costs run around $1,078, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Perm it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perm – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Perm. 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.