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 $803 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,648 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Buenaventura is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Buenaventura and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 COP 14.2K

$11.87 MX$207

-66.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.67 COP 84.4K

$42.90 MX$749

-44.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 26.6K

$10.65 MX$186

-29.86%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 5,349

$3.45 MX$60.2

-56.52%

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

$0.86 COP 3,067

$1.50 MX$26.24

-42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,201

$0.95 MX$16.56

-34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 4,312

$3.03 MX$52.8

-60.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 7,978

$4.61 MX$80.4

-51.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$1.38 MX$24.01

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,450

$1.85 MX$32.24

-32.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,082

$1.61 MX$28.11

-29.19%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,693

$2.59 MX$45.26

-16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.4K

$8.26 MX$144

-47.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 COP 18.8K

$8.37 MX$146

-37.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 COP 26.9K

$10.66 MX$186

-29.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 COP 8,934

$2.63 MX$45.89

-4.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,947

$1.49 MX$25.96

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,625

$1.92 MX$33.50

-32.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 3,091

$2.09 MX$36.41

-58.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,029

$1.86 MX$32.42

-39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,999

$2.26 MX$39.47

-50.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 COP 3,130

$1.06 MX$18.54

-16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 COP 2,497

$1.09 MX$18.98

-35.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 COP 8,195

$4.15 MX$72.4

-44.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.24 COP 36.5K

$10.39 MX$181

-1.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,055

$1.72 MX$30.09

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 6,102

$2.61 MX$45.60

-34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,609

$0.54 MX$9.46

35.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 COP 107.7K

$26.94 MX$470

12.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,081

$3.13 MX$54.6

-54.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 COP 6,121

$2.51 MX$43.82

-31.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 COP 21.3K

$3.15 MX$55.0

89.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,583

$1.27 MX$22.25

-21.26%

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

$17.7K COP 63.0M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

-41.83%

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

$25.6K COP 91.3M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

8.66%

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

$83.1 COP 296.2K

$83.0 MX$1,449

0.07%

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

$8.91 COP 31.8K

$22.71 MX$396

-60.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.83 COP 81.4K

$29.46 MX$514

-22.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 COP 82.8K

$51.0 MX$890

-54.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 COP 14.3K

$4.93 MX$86.0

-18.66%

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

$235 COP 836.4K

$197 MX$3,444

18.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,923 COP 21.1M

$5,280 MX$92.1K

12.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 COP 208.9K

$36.90 MX$644

58.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.76 COP 116.8K

$39.89 MX$696

-17.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 COP 300.2K

$80.0 MX$1,396

5.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 COP 261.8K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-17.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 1.0M

$956 MX$16.7K

-70.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 850.3K

$477 MX$8,327

-50.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 COP 1.9M

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-68.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 COP 1.5M

$1,225 MX$21.4K

-65.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,606 COP 5.7M

$3,918 MX$68.4K

-59.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,236 COP 4.4M

$6,459 MX$112.7K

-80.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$553 COP 2.0M

$667 MX$11.6K

-17.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.42

15.41%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Buenaventura versus $956 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 21% 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 Buenaventura versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $250 – making Buenaventura 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $803 in Buenaventura, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 58% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,204 per month in Buenaventura and $1,906 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 Buenaventura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Buenaventura and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buenaventura, where all-in costs run around $803, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Buenaventura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $803 in Buenaventura to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Buenaventura. 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.