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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $940 in Perm, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,514 in Perm, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,087 in Perm, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% more than Perm, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Perm are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Perm 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$9.67 ₽809

34.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$32.70 ₽2,738

41.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$5.38 ₽451

134.01%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.07 ₽173

93.24%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.96 ₽80.7

47.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.52 ₽43.72

55.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.12 ₽93.4

172.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$1.85 ₽155

268.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.04 ₽87.5

64.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.74 ₽62.4

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.34 ₽113

28.36%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.37 ₽115

97.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$8.58 ₽719

9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.89 ₽409

81.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$11.15 ₽934

14.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.98 ₽166

58.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.72 ₽144

-9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.79 ₽150

20.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.37 ₽198

-0.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.78 ₽65.2

158.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.63 ₽52.6

215.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.99 ₽82.6

25.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.83 ₽69.5

43.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.70 ₽226

72.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$9.28 ₽777

12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$0.76 ₽64.0

107.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.53 ₽128

90.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.46 ₽38.57

21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$24.35 ₽2,039

22.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.67 ₽224

99.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.44 ₽36.50

745.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$4.75 ₽398

21.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.81 ₽68.2

91.36%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$33.8K ₽2.8M

-33.89%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$35.7K ₽3.0M

-28.36%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$105 ₽8,783

-14.87%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$5.49 ₽460

324.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$8.76 ₽734

262.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$27.74 ₽2,323

147.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$13.99 ₽1,172

110.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$5.91 ₽495

-14.38%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$246 ₽20.6K

-9.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$4,438 ₽371.6K

-3.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$60.4 ₽5,058

-23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$33.92 ₽2,840

30.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$97.6 ₽8,169

-2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$93.2 ₽7,800

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$518 ₽43.4K

106.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$293 ₽24.6K

34.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$753 ₽63.0K

164.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$637 ₽53.3K

104.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$2,345 ₽196.4K

72.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,500 ₽125.6K

341.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$873 ₽73.1K

-14.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

23.33

-50.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Perm: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $518 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 17% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Perm. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 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 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,410 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 42% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $33.00 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 $940, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.