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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $453 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,036 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 184% more than Pucallpa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pucallpa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Pucallpa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.25 PEN 7.91

430.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$11.32 PEN 39.83

277.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.01 PEN 17.65

111.38%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.98 PEN 6.96

82.83%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.95 PEN 3.33

54.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.27 PEN 0.94

248.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.72 PEN 6.05

79.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.27 PEN 7.99

96.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.98 PEN 3.46

45.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$3.56 PEN 12.54

-47.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.08 PEN 3.80

50.93%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.65 PEN 5.81

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$1.89 PEN 6.65

334.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.98 PEN 14.01

108.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$3.41 PEN 12.01

225.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.18 PEN 7.66

21.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.41 PEN 4.98

6.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.42 PEN 5.01

40.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.45 PEN 8.64

-15.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.95 PEN 3.34

88.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.90 PEN 6.67

14.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.76 PEN 2.67

42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.94 PEN 3.30

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.38 PEN 15.42

-9.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.70 PEN 27.11

32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.26 PEN 7.94

-23.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.35 PEN 11.79

-25.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.13 PEN 3.98

-53.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.35 PEN 4.77

132.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.52 PEN 1.82

361.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.18 PEN 4.14

7.63%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$49.63 PEN 175

65.24%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$15.10 PEN 53.2

48.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$41.63 PEN 147

-28.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$50.8 PEN 179

-28.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.11 PEN 117

20.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$33.65 PEN 118

137.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$63.7 PEN 224

39.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$111 PEN 392

764.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$222 PEN 781

619.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$119 PEN 419

916.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$405 PEN 1,426

77.84%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 78% 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: $251 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 184%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $680 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 $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 $453, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.