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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $510 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $850 in Pucallpa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,191 in Pucallpa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 156% 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 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.34 PEN 7.84

411.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$11.76 PEN 39.42

302.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$5.19 PEN 17.41

126.40%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$2.11 PEN 7.08

95.26%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$1.05 PEN 3.53

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$0.29 PEN 0.97

213.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$1.77 PEN 5.92

81.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.41 PEN 8.06

193.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.05 PEN 3.51

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.73 PEN 12.51

-42.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$1.16 PEN 3.89

52.59%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$1.82 PEN 6.11

54.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$2.06 PEN 6.92

346.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.04 PEN 13.55

128.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$3.67 PEN 12.30

244.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.33 PEN 7.82

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$1.48 PEN 4.95

6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$1.51 PEN 5.05

47.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$2.69 PEN 9.01

-12.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$3.05 PEN 10.23

-34.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$2.12 PEN 7.10

-6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.41 PEN 8.08

-48.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.02 PEN 3.41

18.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$4.64 PEN 15.55

-0.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$8.23 PEN 27.60

27.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$2.41 PEN 8.08

-29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$3.59 PEN 12.03

-22.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$1.22 PEN 4.07

-50.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$1.47 PEN 4.91

256.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$0.56 PEN 1.89

551.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$1.30 PEN 4.35

18.46%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$53.4 PEN 179

69.76%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$36.08 PEN 121

-30.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$43.85 PEN 147

-27.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

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

$226 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$52.9 PEN 177

-10.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$35.75 PEN 120

21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$35.11 PEN 118

128.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$68.2 PEN 229

33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$119 PEN 399

811.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$233 PEN 782

744.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$128 PEN 428

904.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$424 PEN 1,420

82.57%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Pucallpa: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $119 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 83% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Pucallpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $208 – 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 156%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $765 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 33% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $12.00 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 $510, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.