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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $448 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $754 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,061 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 181% more than Pucallpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pucallpa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Pucallpa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.26 PEN 7.70

418.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$10.91 PEN 37.10

283.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$4.98 PEN 16.92

111.04%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.98 PEN 6.74

81.31%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.93 PEN 3.17

62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.29 PEN 1.00

217.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.72 PEN 5.83

72.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.25 PEN 7.64

96.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.01 PEN 3.44

38.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$3.56 PEN 12.11

-47.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.09 PEN 3.69

43.12%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.72 PEN 5.84

51.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$1.99 PEN 6.75

318.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.78 PEN 12.85

120.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$3.38 PEN 11.49

221.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.27 PEN 7.72

19.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.42 PEN 4.82

6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.42 PEN 4.83

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$2.49 PEN 8.46

-12.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.96 PEN 3.25

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.90 PEN 6.46

17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.77 PEN 2.61

38.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.96 PEN 3.25

13.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$4.32 PEN 14.69

-3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$7.74 PEN 26.33

34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.17 PEN 7.37

-23.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.41 PEN 11.60

-23.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.09 PEN 3.70

-50.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.35 PEN 4.60

128.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.52 PEN 1.77

361.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.16 PEN 3.95

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$49.39 PEN 168

64.57%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$15.11 PEN 51.4

49.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$41.42 PEN 141

-27.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

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

$201 MX$3,502

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$49.77 PEN 169

-27.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$33.26 PEN 113

20.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$33.57 PEN 114

137.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$62.7 PEN 213

38.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$109 PEN 372

793.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$226 PEN 770

629.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$118 PEN 402

917.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$419 PEN 1,424

61.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Pucallpa. 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 62% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Pucallpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $184 – making Pucallpa 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 Pucallpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 181%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $672 in Pucallpa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $11.00 in Pucallpa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pucallpa, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Pucallpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Pucallpa. 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.