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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $732 in Piura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,231 in Piura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,729 in Piura.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 73% more expensive than in Piura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Piura 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.74 PEN 12.62

210.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$25.40 PEN 85.7

85.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.32 PEN 24.70

62.30%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.38 PEN 11.41

17.75%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.11 PEN 3.75

28.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.72 PEN 2.43

13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.41 PEN 8.14

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.95 PEN 9.97

130.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.50 PEN 5.08

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$2.61 PEN 8.82

-15.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.69 PEN 5.69

1.18%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.94 PEN 9.92

-6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$10.51 PEN 35.45

-8.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.41 PEN 28.36

7.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$10.75 PEN 36.25

19.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.42 PEN 4.79

103.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.36 PEN 4.58

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.46 PEN 4.94

47.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.38 PEN 4.64

63.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.32 PEN 4.46

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.73 PEN 2.46

172.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.88 PEN 2.96

39.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$1.33 PEN 4.47

-9.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$8.02 PEN 27.06

-43.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$11.47 PEN 38.71

-9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.81 PEN 6.12

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.04 PEN 10.27

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.64 PEN 2.15

-6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$20.46 PEN 69.0

40.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$3.17 PEN 10.69

70.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$2.43 PEN 8.20

53.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$7.57 PEN 25.52

-23.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.46 PEN 4.93

5.48%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$22.0K PEN 74.1K

2.64%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$23.8K PEN 80.4K

9.31%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$41.49 PEN 140

120.25%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$9.03 PEN 30.46

179.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$29.26 PEN 98.7

129.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$2.45 PEN 8.26

98.37%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$204 PEN 687

9.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$2,357 PEN 7,952

79.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$45.01 PEN 152

4.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$13.32 PEN 44.94

232.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$59.3 PEN 200

35.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$75.7 PEN 255

22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$239 PEN 807

344.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$136 PEN 459

187.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$402 PEN 1,357

434.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$411 PEN 1,387

209.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$3,855 PEN 13.0K

3.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$550 PEN 1,856

37.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Piura: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $239 in Piura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Piura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $256 per month, with Piura 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 Piura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Piura differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $732 including rent). Piura is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 in Piura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $732 in Piura – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Piura runs roughly 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $732 in Piura versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Piura but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Piura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Piura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.