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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $450 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $756 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,062 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 182% 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 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.20 PEN 7.47

439.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$11.18 PEN 38.01

283.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.87 PEN 16.55

118.69%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.92 PEN 6.52

79.69%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.00 PEN 3.39

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.29 PEN 0.99

227.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.71 PEN 5.80

77.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.20 PEN 7.47

109.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.01 PEN 3.45

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.41 PEN 11.59

-45.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.10 PEN 3.73

46.36%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.69 PEN 5.75

53.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$1.89 PEN 6.43

337.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.00 PEN 13.59

109.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$3.27 PEN 11.10

225.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.24 PEN 7.63

17.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.41 PEN 4.80

5.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.43 PEN 4.87

34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.54 PEN 8.63

-17.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.95 PEN 3.23

95.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.92 PEN 6.53

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.71 PEN 2.42

49.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.01 PEN 3.43

7.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.55 PEN 15.48

-8.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.87 PEN 26.74

32.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.27 PEN 7.70

-24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.38 PEN 11.48

-22.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.09 PEN 3.70

-50.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.41 PEN 4.80

121.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.55 PEN 1.88

356.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.21 PEN 4.10

4.96%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$50.1 PEN 170

65.64%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$15.00 PEN 51.0

51.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$41.85 PEN 142

-29.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$49.79 PEN 169

-25.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$33.24 PEN 113

20.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$33.51 PEN 114

138.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$63.1 PEN 215

41.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$111 PEN 377

761.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$221 PEN 751

644.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$118 PEN 401

939.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$411 PEN 1,397

62.32%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $111 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Pucallpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 182%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $675 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 35% 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 $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 $450, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.