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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,305 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,098 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,891 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and San Juan de Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, San Juan de Pasto 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.15 COP 22.7K

62.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$37.98 COP 120.6K

24.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$11.12 COP 35.3K

6.83%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.51 COP 7,953

58.57%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.33 COP 4,212

7.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.85 COP 2,704

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.69 COP 8,540

18.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.33 COP 10.6K

103.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.53 COP 4,858

9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$2.44 COP 7,744

-9.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.66 COP 5,256

3.01%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$3.32 COP 10.5K

-17.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.33 COP 29.6K

2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$10.45 COP 33.2K

-13.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.66 COP 43.4K

-6.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.56 COP 11.3K

-18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.28 COP 4,048

17.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.21 COP 7,022

-2.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.14 COP 6,802

5.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.38 COP 4,390

43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.53 COP 4,844

30.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.37 COP 4,334

-10.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.31 COP 4,157

-8.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.66 COP 11.6K

24.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.22 COP 42.0K

-21.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.26 COP 3,987

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.08 COP 9,786

-6.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.10 COP 3,504

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.74 COP 5,532

209.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.48 COP 7,861

50.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$9.29 COP 29.5K

-37.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.27 COP 4,033

21.26%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$25.5K COP 81.1M

-11.71%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$35.5K COP 112.6M

-26.54%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$129 COP 409.0K

-29.06%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$14.14 COP 44.9K

78.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$29.87 COP 94.8K

4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$36.86 COP 117.0K

82.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$6.18 COP 19.6K

-21.36%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$569 COP 1.8M

-60.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$5,789 COP 18.4M

-26.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$96.1 COP 305.2K

-51.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$59.3 COP 188.4K

-25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$148 COP 471.3K

-46.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$108 COP 341.5K

-13.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$670 COP 2.1M

58.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$464 COP 1.5M

-15.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$1,073 COP 3.4M

100.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,032 COP 3.3M

23.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,958 COP 6.2M

104.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,854 COP 5.9M

250.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.58

-1.12%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $670 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $293 in San Juan de Pasto – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 – San Juan de Pasto is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,957 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,305 in San Juan de Pasto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $569 in San Juan de Pasto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in San Juan de Pasto at $1,305. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan de Pasto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan de Pasto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.