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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $779 in Trujillo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,173 in Trujillo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,567 in Trujillo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 61% more than Trujillo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Trujillo are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Trujillo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.24 PEN 10.99

270.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$13.70 PEN 46.43

204.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.73 PEN 22.80

59.73%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.98 PEN 10.08

17.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.89 PEN 3.02

62.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.59 PEN 2.00

49.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.92 PEN 6.51

53.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.30 PEN 11.17

36.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.05 PEN 3.55

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.77 PEN 6.01

3.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.13 PEN 3.81

38.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.88 PEN 13.14

-35.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.47 PEN 21.94

30.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.52 PEN 25.47

42.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.17 PEN 3.97

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.58 PEN 1.96

148.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.58 PEN 1.95

237.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.71 PEN 2.40

194.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.92 PEN 3.13

101.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.82 PEN 2.78

164.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.91 PEN 3.09

13.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.92 PEN 3.11

16.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.27 PEN 14.48

-3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.79 PEN 19.61

75.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.41 PEN 4.76

19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.65 PEN 5.59

53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.64 PEN 2.16

-20.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$16.38 PEN 55.5

58.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.80 PEN 9.48

15.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.99 PEN 6.74

21.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.66 PEN 19.20

-42.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.36 PEN 4.61

-2.94%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$16.9K PEN 57.2K

75.79%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.2K PEN 88.8K

-9.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$76.6 PEN 259

7.12%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.48 PEN 28.75

170.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.22 PEN 71.9

41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$36.00 PEN 122

44.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.39 PEN 18.28

243.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.16 PEN 14.09

19.71%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$102 PEN 346

93.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$1,963 PEN 6,653

171.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$70.8 PEN 240

-49.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$14.00 PEN 47.43

188.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$32.71 PEN 111

140.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$32.74 PEN 111

171.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$365 PEN 1,237

159.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$257 PEN 870

84.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$602 PEN 2,040

173.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$489 PEN 1,657

147.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,138 PEN 3,856

256.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$821 PEN 2,783

687.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$524 PEN 1,777

24.70%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Trujillo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $365 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 25% 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 $159 – 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 61%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,169 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $779 in Trujillo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% 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 $779, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.