Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Trujillo Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Trujillo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $784 in Trujillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,170 in Trujillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,557 in Trujillo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 65% more than Trujillo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Trujillo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Trujillo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.21 PEN 10.91

265.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$13.85 PEN 47.14

200.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.75 PEN 22.96

57.63%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.88 PEN 9.81

22.22%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.89 PEN 3.04

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.57 PEN 1.95

70.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.99 PEN 6.77

48.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.34 PEN 11.37

33.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.01 PEN 3.42

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.83 PEN 6.24

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.14 PEN 3.88

43.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.85 PEN 13.11

-34.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.53 PEN 22.22

27.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.62 PEN 25.94

40.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.13 PEN 3.85

130.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.58 PEN 1.96

151.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.58 PEN 1.96

227.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.76 PEN 2.58

173.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.93 PEN 3.18

91.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.81 PEN 2.74

170.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.89 PEN 3.03

16.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.86 PEN 2.94

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.05 PEN 13.77

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.77 PEN 19.63

78.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.42 PEN 4.83

20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.70 PEN 5.80

51.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.59 PEN 2.00

-13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$16.72 PEN 56.9

58.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.75 PEN 9.35

18.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.05 PEN 6.97

21.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.52 PEN 18.79

-41.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.36 PEN 4.62

-3.68%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$16.9K PEN 57.7K

78.66%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.6K PEN 90.4K

-11.79%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$74.4 PEN 253

11.44%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.19 PEN 27.85

171.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$20.99 PEN 71.4

39.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$35.41 PEN 120

45.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.65 PEN 19.21

224.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.07 PEN 13.84

24.57%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$106 PEN 360

89.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,029 PEN 6,902

156.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$69.7 PEN 237

-47.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$13.96 PEN 47.48

185.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$33.78 PEN 115

132.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$32.69 PEN 111

166.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$366 PEN 1,246

165.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$254 PEN 865

83.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$602 PEN 2,047

172.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$477 PEN 1,624

155.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,138 PEN 3,872

246.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$834 PEN 2,837

679.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$539 PEN 1,834

23.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.7

-10.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $366 in Trujillo. 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 23% 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 $14.00 in Trujillo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $160 – making Trujillo 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 Trujillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 65%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,176 in Trujillo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Trujillo, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $784 in Trujillo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Trujillo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Trujillo, where all-in costs run around $784, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Trujillo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Trujillo – 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 Trujillo. 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.