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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $767 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,088 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,409 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% 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 4% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.85 COP 10.3K

318.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$12.07 COP 43.6K

254.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.45 COP 23.3K

64.19%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.74 COP 6,266

108.05%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.70 COP 2,521

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.49 COP 1,768

91.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.19 COP 4,287

159.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.48 COP 8,948

79.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.05 COP 3,803

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.28 COP 4,613

46.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.13 COP 4,097

44.25%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.91 COP 6,887

38.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.86 COP 21.2K

40.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.23 COP 15.3K

95.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.24 COP 26.1K

53.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.60 COP 5,760

65.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.07 COP 3,868

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.34 COP 4,842

48.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.90 COP 3,256

131.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.11 COP 4,003

61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.14 COP 4,111

91.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.80 COP 2,889

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.69 COP 2,483

50.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.34 COP 8,450

69.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.05 COP 50.7K

-27.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.09 COP 3,948

58.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.72 COP 6,202

45.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.58 COP 2,108

-10.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$29.52 COP 106.6K

-8.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.48 COP 5,329

112.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.44 COP 5,205

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.18 COP 22.3K

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.94 COP 3,406

35.11%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$18.2K COP 65.7M

69.70%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$25.9K COP 93.6M

-10.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$61.5 COP 221.9K

33.44%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.08 COP 25.6K

217.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$22.99 COP 83.0K

29.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$21.56 COP 77.8K

140.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.92 COP 14.2K

26.79%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$242 COP 873.8K

-18.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,014 COP 21.7M

-12.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$59.9 COP 216.1K

-39.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.28 COP 120.1K

20.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$83.1 COP 300.2K

-3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$53.2 COP 192.1K

67.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$307 COP 1.1M

214.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$242 COP 872.2K

92.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$375 COP 1.4M

326.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$327 COP 1.2M

269.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,723 COP 6.2M

128.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,301 COP 4.7M

395.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$450 COP 1.6M

59.95%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $307 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 60% 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 $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $174 – 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 68%, 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 $1,151 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $767 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 9% 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 $767, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.