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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $903 per month in Trujillo vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,357 per month in Trujillo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,811 per month in Trujillo vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Trujillo is about 30% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Trujillo and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Trujillo 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 PEN 12.21

$11.71 MX$198

-68.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 PEN 80.5

$46.59 MX$786

-48.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 PEN 24.51

$11.65 MX$197

-37.25%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PEN 11.15

$4.09 MX$69.1

-18.83%

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

$0.97 PEN 3.26

$1.37 MX$23.20

-29.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.83 MX$14.07

-26.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 PEN 6.83

$3.35 MX$56.6

-39.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 PEN 11.93

$6.91 MX$117

-48.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 PEN 4.74

$1.73 MX$29.15

-18.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 PEN 7.12

$2.26 MX$38.15

-6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 PEN 4.08

$1.77 MX$29.86

-31.07%

Eggs

$4.22 PEN 14.16

$2.73 MX$46.12

54.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 PEN 26.10

$9.18 MX$155

-15.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 PEN 22.97

$8.92 MX$151

-23.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.16 PEN 30.70

$12.60 MX$213

-27.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 PEN 5.51

$3.02 MX$51.0

-45.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 PEN 1.92

$1.57 MX$26.51

-63.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.58 PEN 1.93

$2.13 MX$35.88

-72.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 PEN 2.89

$2.26 MX$38.22

-61.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 PEN 3.14

$2.00 MX$33.82

-53.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 PEN 3.94

$2.06 MX$34.85

-42.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 PEN 4.21

$1.18 MX$19.91

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 PEN 3.75

$1.20 MX$20.32

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 PEN 15.10

$4.63 MX$78.2

-2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 PEN 19.98

$10.69 MX$180

-44.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 PEN 5.87

$1.62 MX$27.33

8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 PEN 5.34

$2.88 MX$48.63

-44.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 PEN 2.05

$0.57 MX$9.68

7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.04 PEN 60.5

$29.83 MX$503

-39.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 PEN 8.72

$5.45 MX$91.9

-52.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 PEN 7.39

$3.70 MX$62.5

-40.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 PEN 19.62

$5.98 MX$101

-2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 PEN 5.60

$1.55 MX$26.22

7.74%

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

$18.0K PEN 60.3K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

-19.48%

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

$28.6K PEN 95.8K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

10.05%

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

$100 PEN 336

$89.1 MX$1,504

12.34%

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

$13.55 PEN 45.44

$25.04 MX$423

-45.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 PEN 92.2

$31.50 MX$532

-12.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.19 PEN 138

$67.8 MX$1,144

-39.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 PEN 19.75

$28.92 MX$488

-79.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PEN 14.84

$5.05 MX$85.2

-12.28%

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

$109 PEN 367

$225 MX$3,797

-51.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,172 PEN 7,283

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-48.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 PEN 246

$47.44 MX$801

54.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.14 PEN 50.8

$44.98 MX$759

-66.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.31 PEN 159

$82.0 MX$1,384

-42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.86 PEN 150

$92.1 MX$1,555

-51.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 PEN 1,341

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-62.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 PEN 862

$405 MX$6,842

-36.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 PEN 2,574

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-60.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 PEN 1,752

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-59.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,183 PEN 3,967

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-70.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 PEN 1,796

$749 MX$12.6K

-28.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.7

11.45

2.18%

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

Last update for Trujillo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $400 in Trujillo versus $1,069 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 40% 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 $24.00 in Trujillo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $208 vs $277 – 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

Trujillo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,355 per month in Trujillo and $1,940 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 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 $903 in Trujillo and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% 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 $903, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.