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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,054 in Perm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,611 in Perm, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,167 in Perm, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Perm, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Perm are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Perm 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$9.12 ₽661

30.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$31.32 ₽2,269

36.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.44 ₽394

95.77%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.29 ₽166

50.66%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.99 ₽71.7

51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.44 ₽31.57

115.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.24 ₽89.5

144.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.58 ₽187

78.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.99 ₽72.0

39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.68 ₽49.17

172.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.47 ₽106

9.52%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.79 ₽130

44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.62 ₽697

-14.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.54 ₽329

84.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.72 ₽705

9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.71 ₽124

53.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.83 ₽133

-18.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.73 ₽125

10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.44 ₽177

-14.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.99 ₽71.6

87.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.80 ₽58.0

182.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.08 ₽78.5

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.72 ₽52.1

51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.24 ₽235

28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.86 ₽715

5.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.95 ₽68.8

81.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.94 ₽141

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.49 ₽35.75

10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$23.07 ₽1,672

16.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.80 ₽131

73.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.15 ₽10.71

1573.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.51 ₽327

-30.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.75 ₽54.1

69.33%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$31.2K ₽2.3M

-2.77%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$37.8K ₽2.7M

-37.67%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$104 ₽7,558

-20.42%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$5.94 ₽430

282.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$9.51 ₽689

209.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$30.62 ₽2,219

66.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$16.91 ₽1,226

8.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.96 ₽359

-0.60%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$343 ₽24.9K

-42.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,922 ₽356.7K

7.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$100.0 ₽7,243

-63.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$39.50 ₽2,862

0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$142 ₽10.3K

-43.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$150 ₽10.9K

-40.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$541 ₽39.2K

76.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$364 ₽26.4K

31.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$821 ₽59.5K

100.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$580 ₽42.0K

111.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,661 ₽192.8K

47.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,840 ₽133.4K

250.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$973 ₽70.5K

-31.44%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Perm: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $541 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 46% 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: $250 vs $195 – 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 21%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,581 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 28% 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 $1,054, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.