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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,122 per month in Barranquilla vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 14% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Barranquilla sits 8% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$11.71 MX$199

-28.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 COP 197.2K

$46.59 MX$792

34.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 COP 40.0K

$11.65 MX$198

8.67%

Cappuccino

$2.78 COP 8,783

$4.09 MX$69.6

-32.03%

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

$1.34 COP 4,215

$1.37 MX$23.35

-2.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 COP 4,084

$0.83 MX$14.17

55.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 COP 12.8K

$3.35 MX$57.0

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 COP 25.1K

$6.91 MX$117

14.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 2,780

$1.73 MX$29.35

-49.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$2.26 MX$38.41

-43.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,106

$1.77 MX$30.07

-8.47%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 6,612

$2.73 MX$46.43

-23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 COP 15.7K

$9.18 MX$156

-45.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 COP 56.6K

$8.92 MX$152

101.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 COP 22.5K

$12.60 MX$214

-43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,160

$3.02 MX$51.3

-24.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,933

$1.57 MX$26.69

-40.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 COP 1,904

$2.13 MX$36.12

-71.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 COP 5,841

$2.26 MX$38.48

-18.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,943

$2.00 MX$34.05

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,089

$2.06 MX$35.08

-52.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 COP 3,950

$1.18 MX$20.05

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 2,947

$1.20 MX$20.46

-22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 COP 16.1K

$4.63 MX$78.8

9.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 COP 40.6K

$10.69 MX$182

20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 COP 4,855

$1.62 MX$27.52

-4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.4K

$2.88 MX$48.96

69.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 COP 3,800

$0.57 MX$9.74

110.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 COP 10.9K

$5.45 MX$92.6

-36.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 COP 10.2K

$3.70 MX$63.0

-12.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 COP 49.2K

$5.98 MX$102

160.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,230

$1.55 MX$26.40

-13.55%

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

$22.1K COP 69.7M

$22.3K MX$379.4K

-1.12%

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

$29.2K COP 92.2M

$25.9K MX$441.0K

12.60%

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

$151 COP 475.8K

$89.1 MX$1,515

69.17%

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

$14.54 COP 45.9K

$25.04 MX$426

-41.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 COP 103.1K

$31.50 MX$535

3.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 COP 108.9K

$67.8 MX$1,152

-49.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$5.05 MX$85.8

-4.55%

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

$323 COP 1.0M

$225 MX$3,823

43.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 COP 14.8M

$4,222 MX$71.8K

10.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 COP 353.1K

$47.44 MX$806

135.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 COP 148.7K

$44.98 MX$764

4.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$190 COP 599.2K

$82.0 MX$1,393

131.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$255 COP 804.8K

$92.1 MX$1,565

176.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 COP 2.5M

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.6M

$405 MX$6,888

24.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 COP 2.5M

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 COP 2.9M

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-29.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 COP 5.9M

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-52.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 COP 2.0M

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-90.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 COP 1.6M

$749 MX$12.7K

-31.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-12.66%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Barranquilla 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 46% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Barranquilla versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Barranquilla vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Barranquilla 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

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

Barranquilla costs about 14% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,220 per month in Barranquilla 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 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 $1,480 in Barranquilla and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $323 per month in Barranquilla and $225 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,293, than in Barranquilla at $1,480. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $1,480 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barranquilla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.