Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,414 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

San Juan de Pasto is about 41% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both San Juan de Pasto and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – San Juan de Pasto 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 COP 9,788

$11.73 MX$202

-75.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.21 COP 41.8K

$41.78 MX$719

-70.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 COP 21.8K

$10.41 MX$179

-38.81%

Cappuccino

$1.68 COP 5,774

$3.61 MX$62.1

-53.46%

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

$0.69 COP 2,380

$1.46 MX$25.06

-52.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 COP 1,536

$0.97 MX$16.70

-53.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 COP 4,231

$2.92 MX$50.3

-57.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,157

$4.62 MX$79.5

-48.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 3,808

$1.43 MX$24.59

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 COP 4,258

$1.90 MX$32.70

-34.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,930

$1.57 MX$26.95

-26.75%

Eggs

$1.94 COP 6,640

$2.64 MX$45.34

-26.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 COP 19.7K

$8.44 MX$145

-31.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 COP 14.5K

$8.58 MX$148

-50.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 COP 24.8K

$11.00 MX$189

-34.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,532

$2.70 MX$46.51

-40.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.51 MX$25.92

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,656

$1.91 MX$32.93

-28.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 2,904

$2.17 MX$37.37

-60.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,994

$1.87 MX$32.25

-37.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,000

$2.23 MX$38.43

-47.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,753

$1.08 MX$18.60

-25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,369

$1.07 MX$18.47

-35.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 COP 7,962

$4.16 MX$71.6

-44.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 COP 49.3K

$10.29 MX$177

39.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,730

$1.68 MX$28.95

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 COP 6,117

$2.53 MX$43.59

-29.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 COP 1,859

$0.55 MX$9.53

-1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.65 COP 101.6K

$26.29 MX$452

12.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 COP 5,197

$3.20 MX$55.0

-52.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 COP 5,105

$2.46 MX$42.37

-39.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 COP 21.0K

$3.20 MX$55.0

91.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 3,031

$1.32 MX$22.72

-33.33%

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

$17.6K COP 60.3M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-41.67%

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

$25.7K COP 88.2M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

10.00%

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

$62.2 COP 213.1K

$81.4 MX$1,400

-23.56%

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

$7.14 COP 24.5K

$22.41 MX$386

-68.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.32 COP 79.9K

$29.97 MX$516

-22.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.93 COP 75.2K

$51.6 MX$887

-57.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$3.88 COP 13.3K

$5.16 MX$88.9

-24.81%

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

$235 COP 804.9K

$202 MX$3,471

16.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,900 COP 20.2M

$5,311 MX$91.4K

11.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 COP 204.4K

$35.61 MX$613

67.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.39 COP 111.0K

$40.37 MX$695

-19.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 COP 280.1K

$78.6 MX$1,353

3.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 COP 183.6K

$86.9 MX$1,495

-38.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 COP 1.0M

$950 MX$16.3K

-68.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 802.4K

$478 MX$8,227

-51.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 COP 1.1M

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-73.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,666 COP 5.7M

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-58.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 COP 4.3M

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-80.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 COP 1.6M

$673 MX$11.6K

-31.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.42

15.41%

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

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in San Juan de Pasto versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. 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 45% 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 $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $254 – 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

San Juan de Pasto vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,138 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $759 in San Juan de Pasto and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% 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 $759, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.