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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $773 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 63% 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 5% lower, San Juan de Pasto 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.82 COP 8,868

315.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$11.90 COP 37.5K

252.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.55 COP 20.6K

60.46%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.66 COP 5,234

116.27%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.68 COP 2,142

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.45 COP 1,419

104.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.18 COP 3,727

150.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.35 COP 7,412

87.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.06 COP 3,352

32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.29 COP 4,077

45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.13 COP 3,571

38.05%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.90 COP 5,989

37.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$5.84 COP 18.4K

42.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.26 COP 13.4K

96.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.53 COP 23.7K

44.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.55 COP 4,896

74.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.07 COP 3,377

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.37 COP 4,310

36.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.90 COP 2,846

143.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.16 COP 3,643

60.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.14 COP 3,581

95.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.80 COP 2,518

33.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.69 COP 2,167

57.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.32 COP 7,316

80.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$15.73 COP 49.5K

-33.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.08 COP 3,414

53.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.74 COP 5,464

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.57 COP 1,798

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.63 COP 96.4K

-14.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.50 COP 4,737

105.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.51 COP 4,766

58.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.02 COP 19.0K

-48.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.91 COP 2,865

43.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

69.33%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.9K COP 81.6M

-10.05%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$62.6 COP 197.2K

29.80%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$7.08 COP 22.3K

218.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$23.03 COP 72.5K

30.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$22.08 COP 69.5K

139.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.98 COP 12.5K

23.62%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$238 COP 749.3K

-15.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,867 COP 18.5M

-11.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$59.9 COP 188.6K

-40.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$32.18 COP 101.3K

24.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$83.7 COP 263.5K

-4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$52.4 COP 164.9K

65.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$301 COP 948.2K

224.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$237 COP 744.7K

98.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$380 COP 1.2M

334.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$329 COP 1.0M

265.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,913 COP 6.0M

106.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,277 COP 4.0M

417.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$504 COP 1.6M

34.20%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $301 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 34% 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: $252 vs $179 – 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 63%, 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 $1,159 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $773 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 17% 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 $773, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.