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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,318 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,790 per month in Buenaventura vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Buenaventura costs about 1% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Buenaventura and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 4% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 COP 23.0K

$11.96 MX$202

-38.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.02 COP 130.5K

$47.38 MX$801

-11.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 COP 29.3K

$11.75 MX$199

-19.57%

Cappuccino

$2.64 COP 8,192

$4.12 MX$69.7

-35.92%

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

$1.38 COP 4,293

$1.40 MX$23.66

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,812

$0.91 MX$15.43

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 COP 8,061

$3.21 MX$54.2

-19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 COP 11.8K

$7.07 MX$120

-46.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 COP 4,602

$1.68 MX$28.35

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 COP 7,652

$2.15 MX$36.36

14.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,903

$1.77 MX$30.00

-10.73%

Eggs

$2.91 COP 9,029

$2.82 MX$47.60

3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 COP 22.8K

$9.20 MX$156

-20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 COP 34.0K

$9.23 MX$156

18.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 COP 38.7K

$12.64 MX$214

-1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.1K

$2.95 MX$49.90

20.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 COP 4,830

$1.58 MX$26.70

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 COP 5,813

$2.22 MX$37.58

-15.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 COP 5,793

$2.36 MX$39.96

-20.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,511

$1.99 MX$33.70

-27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,570

$1.98 MX$33.47

-25.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,573

$1.24 MX$20.97

-7.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,517

$1.21 MX$20.48

-6.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 COP 12.6K

$4.60 MX$77.8

-11.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 COP 43.4K

$10.52 MX$178

32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 4,592

$1.69 MX$28.60

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 COP 8,946

$2.77 MX$46.91

3.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 COP 3,473

$0.60 MX$10.19

86.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 4,773

$5.24 MX$88.5

-70.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,638

$3.65 MX$61.7

-41.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 COP 27.4K

$5.78 MX$97.8

52.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,008

$1.54 MX$26.01

-16.23%

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

$23.5K COP 72.9M

$22.8K MX$385.5K

2.95%

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

$35.8K COP 111.2M

$25.8K MX$436.5K

38.76%

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

$123 COP 383.4K

$90.7 MX$1,533

36.20%

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

$13.23 COP 41.1K

$25.19 MX$426

-47.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.34 COP 94.2K

$31.75 MX$537

-4.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.48 COP 113.2K

$68.8 MX$1,163

-46.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 COP 19.4K

$4.86 MX$82.2

28.60%

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

$634 COP 2.0M

$226 MX$3,816

180.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,598 COP 20.5M

$4,194 MX$70.9K

57.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.2 COP 261.3K

$47.38 MX$801

77.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.0 COP 170.7K

$43.45 MX$735

26.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 427.8K

$80.2 MX$1,356

71.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 336.5K

$91.4 MX$1,545

18.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 COP 2.1M

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-37.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.5M

$409 MX$6,910

17.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 COP 3.2M

$1,972 MX$33.3K

-48.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 COP 3.0M

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-25.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,990 COP 6.2M

$4,046 MX$68.4K

-50.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,653 COP 5.1M

$6,704 MX$113.4K

-75.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

11.45

1.14%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $676 in Buenaventura versus $1,086 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Buenaventura versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Buenaventura vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,318 in Buenaventura, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 1% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,976 per month in Buenaventura and $1,958 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Buenaventura and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Buenaventura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Buenaventura at $1,318. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenaventura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,318 in Buenaventura. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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