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 $866 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Barranquilla vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Barranquilla and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$11.73 MX$203

-57.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 COP 110.6K

$41.62 MX$720

-25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$10.64 MX$184

-32.71%

Cappuccino

$1.75 COP 6,267

$3.52 MX$60.9

-50.28%

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

$0.92 COP 3,296

$1.51 MX$26.12

-39.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,146

$0.97 MX$16.84

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,886

$2.95 MX$51.0

-53.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,877

$4.45 MX$77.0

-56.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,360

$1.38 MX$23.93

-31.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 COP 4,749

$1.89 MX$32.72

-29.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,667

$1.64 MX$28.32

-37.20%

Eggs

$2.03 COP 7,266

$2.51 MX$43.34

-19.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 COP 16.1K

$8.34 MX$144

-45.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 18.6K

$8.34 MX$144

-37.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$10.73 MX$186

-33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 COP 10.3K

$2.60 MX$45.04

10.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,852

$1.46 MX$25.20

-6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,434

$1.90 MX$32.87

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,037

$2.08 MX$35.91

-59.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,226

$1.78 MX$30.71

-49.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,361

$2.19 MX$37.80

-31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,909

$1.04 MX$17.99

-22.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,202

$1.08 MX$18.62

-42.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$4.08 MX$70.6

-31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 34.1K

$10.32 MX$178

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 3,179

$1.71 MX$29.61

-47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,694

$2.58 MX$44.54

-49.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,732

$0.51 MX$8.81

49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.20 COP 115.0K

$26.46 MX$458

21.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,848

$3.26 MX$56.4

-41.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 COP 10.1K

$2.49 MX$43.09

13.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$3.25 MX$56.2

52.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,584

$1.31 MX$22.61

-23.66%

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

$15.0K COP 53.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-50.47%

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

$22.1K COP 78.9M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-5.72%

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

$139 COP 495.3K

$82.9 MX$1,433

67.37%

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

$8.13 COP 29.0K

$22.22 MX$384

-63.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 COP 76.3K

$29.34 MX$507

-27.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 COP 76.6K

$51.6 MX$893

-58.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.3K

$18.32 MX$317

-21.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 COP 14.8K

$5.07 MX$87.6

-17.95%

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

$61.2 COP 218.5K

$201 MX$3,473

-69.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,837 COP 6.6M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-64.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 COP 219.1K

$36.92 MX$639

66.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 COP 187.8K

$39.79 MX$688

32.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 COP 286.7K

$78.5 MX$1,357

2.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 255.3K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-17.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 838.4K

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 800.1K

$468 MX$8,090

-52.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 COP 1.9M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-66.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.6M

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-62.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,574 COP 5.6M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-60.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 COP 2.2M

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-90.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.7M

$664 MX$11.5K

-26.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Barranquilla versus $973 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 36% 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 $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $249 – making Barranquilla 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Barranquilla and $1,945 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 Barranquilla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Barranquilla and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $866 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Barranquilla. 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.