Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Juan de Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and San Juan de Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $759 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,414 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Juan de Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$2.86 COP 9,788

310.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$12.21 COP 41.8K

242.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.37 COP 21.8K

63.42%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.68 COP 5,774

114.88%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.69 COP 2,380

111.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.45 COP 1,536

115.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.23 COP 4,231

137.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.38 COP 8,157

94.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.11 COP 3,808

28.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.24 COP 4,258

53.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.15 COP 3,930

36.52%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.94 COP 6,640

36.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$5.74 COP 19.7K

47.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.22 COP 14.5K

103.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.23 COP 24.8K

52.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.61 COP 5,532

67.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.11 COP 3,804

36.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.36 COP 4,656

40.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.85 COP 2,904

155.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.17 COP 3,994

59.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.17 COP 4,000

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.80 COP 2,753

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.69 COP 2,369

55.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.32 COP 7,962

79.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$14.37 COP 49.3K

-28.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.09 COP 3,730

54.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.78 COP 6,117

42.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.54 COP 1,859

1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$29.65 COP 101.6K

-11.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.52 COP 5,197

110.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.49 COP 5,105

65.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.12 COP 21.0K

-47.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.88 COP 3,031

50.00%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$17.6K COP 60.3M

71.44%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$25.7K COP 88.2M

-9.09%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$62.2 COP 213.1K

30.83%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$7.14 COP 24.5K

213.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$23.32 COP 79.9K

28.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$21.93 COP 75.2K

135.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.88 COP 13.3K

32.99%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$235 COP 804.9K

-14.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$5,900 COP 20.2M

-9.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$59.6 COP 204.4K

-40.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$32.39 COP 111.0K

24.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$81.7 COP 280.1K

-3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$53.6 COP 183.6K

62.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$298 COP 1.0M

218.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$234 COP 802.4K

104.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

327.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$321 COP 1.1M

280.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,666 COP 5.7M

140.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,248 COP 4.3M

418.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$463 COP 1.6M

45.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.18

-13.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $298 in San Juan de Pasto. 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 45% 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 $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $175 – making San Juan de Pasto 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 San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,138 in San Juan de Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $759 in San Juan de Pasto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% less in San Juan de Pasto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan de Pasto, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In San Juan de Pasto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Juan de Pasto. 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.