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 $850 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Barranquilla vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Barranquilla and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 COP 15.6K

$11.99 MX$210

-60.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 COP 102.1K

$41.78 MX$731

-24.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 COP 23.8K

$10.75 MX$188

-32.00%

Cappuccino

$1.76 COP 5,718

$3.50 MX$61.1

-49.71%

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

$0.85 COP 2,761

$1.45 MX$25.33

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,096

$0.88 MX$15.47

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 COP 4,378

$2.95 MX$51.6

-54.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 COP 6,132

$4.51 MX$78.9

-58.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,216

$1.43 MX$25.04

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,107

$1.84 MX$32.13

-31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,477

$1.57 MX$27.42

-31.85%

Eggs

$2.06 COP 6,709

$2.51 MX$43.92

-17.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 15.3K

$8.28 MX$145

-43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 COP 16.9K

$8.43 MX$147

-38.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 COP 23.3K

$10.68 MX$187

-33.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 COP 9,330

$2.61 MX$45.62

9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,394

$1.44 MX$25.15

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,919

$1.96 MX$34.31

-22.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$2.09 MX$36.62

-60.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,084

$1.85 MX$32.37

-48.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,653

$2.17 MX$37.90

-34.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,795

$1.03 MX$18.04

-16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,868

$1.07 MX$18.78

-46.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 COP 8,890

$4.10 MX$71.7

-33.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 COP 36.6K

$10.17 MX$178

10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,963

$1.68 MX$29.29

-45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 COP 4,346

$2.53 MX$44.17

-47.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,319

$0.51 MX$8.90

39.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.39 COP 105.3K

$26.04 MX$455

24.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,236

$3.23 MX$56.5

-40.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 COP 9,614

$2.41 MX$42.06

22.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 COP 16.1K

$3.23 MX$56.5

53.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,262

$1.32 MX$23.10

-24.24%

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

$14.9K COP 48.3M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-49.95%

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

$22.4K COP 72.8M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-5.35%

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

$139 COP 451.9K

$82.0 MX$1,434

69.48%

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

$8.09 COP 26.3K

$22.95 MX$401

-64.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 COP 71.0K

$30.11 MX$527

-27.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.43 COP 69.7K

$52.0 MX$909

-58.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 47.7K

$18.53 MX$324

-20.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 COP 13.6K

$4.98 MX$87.0

-15.66%

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

$61.7 COP 200.7K

$197 MX$3,452

-68.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 COP 6.0M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-65.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 COP 201.5K

$35.60 MX$622

74.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 COP 174.8K

$40.33 MX$705

33.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 COP 260.1K

$78.8 MX$1,377

1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 COP 233.3K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 765.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-75.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 COP 713.8K

$474 MX$8,288

-53.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-67.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.5M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-62.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 COP 5.8M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-55.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$686 COP 2.2M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-89.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.8M

$654 MX$11.4K

-16.75%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Barranquilla versus $947 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 20% 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: $175 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 48% 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 $1,276 per month in Barranquilla and $1,884 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 $850 in Barranquilla and $1,256 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 $850, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $850 versus $1,256 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.