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 $806 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,234 per month in Buenaventura vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Buenaventura vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Buenaventura is about 36% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 COP 13.0K

$11.95 MX$209

-66.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 COP 77.0K

$41.94 MX$733

-42.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$10.42 MX$182

-31.67%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,828

$3.51 MX$61.4

-57.26%

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

$0.93 COP 2,994

$1.52 MX$26.50

-38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,811

$0.91 MX$15.91

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 3,908

$3.04 MX$53.1

-60.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 6,872

$4.37 MX$76.4

-51.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.42 MX$24.84

-25.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,019

$1.83 MX$32.00

-31.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,635

$1.63 MX$28.57

-30.67%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 6,933

$2.54 MX$44.38

-15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 COP 14.0K

$8.57 MX$150

-49.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 COP 16.6K

$8.49 MX$148

-39.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.1K

$10.80 MX$189

-33.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 COP 7,971

$2.75 MX$48.14

-9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,588

$1.44 MX$25.10

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,201

$1.89 MX$32.97

-30.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 2,799

$2.17 MX$37.93

-59.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$1.78 MX$31.10

-36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,773

$2.22 MX$38.87

-47.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,598

$1.07 MX$18.68

-24.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,105

$1.08 MX$18.87

-39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,508

$4.15 MX$72.5

-43.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 COP 35.0K

$10.45 MX$183

4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$1.74 MX$30.47

-35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 COP 5,770

$2.58 MX$45.11

-30.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,305

$0.51 MX$8.97

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 COP 95.5K

$25.94 MX$453

14.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 4,621

$3.21 MX$56.1

-55.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 COP 5,285

$2.50 MX$43.73

-34.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 19.9K

$3.19 MX$55.7

93.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,070

$1.26 MX$21.96

-24.60%

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

$17.7K COP 56.9M

$29.7K MX$518.8K

-40.43%

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

$25.4K COP 81.7M

$23.7K MX$413.9K

7.22%

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

$83.3 COP 268.1K

$82.0 MX$1,434

1.58%

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

$8.87 COP 28.5K

$22.73 MX$397

-60.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 COP 71.8K

$29.42 MX$514

-24.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.66 COP 76.1K

$52.2 MX$912

-54.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.02 COP 12.9K

$4.93 MX$86.2

-18.46%

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

$235 COP 756.2K

$202 MX$3,526

16.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,945 COP 19.1M

$5,217 MX$91.2K

13.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 193.2K

$35.93 MX$628

67.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 COP 103.5K

$40.33 MX$705

-20.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 COP 269.6K

$79.9 MX$1,396

4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 COP 238.4K

$89.3 MX$1,561

-17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 907.8K

$948 MX$16.6K

-70.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 761.3K

$465 MX$8,132

-49.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 COP 1.7M

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-67.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 COP 1.4M

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-63.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 COP 5.6M

$3,933 MX$68.7K

-55.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,400 COP 4.5M

$6,428 MX$112.3K

-78.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 COP 2.0M

$658 MX$11.5K

-5.39%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Buenaventura versus $948 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 6% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $252 – 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: $806 in Buenaventura, $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 56% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,210 per month in Buenaventura and $1,888 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 46% 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 $42.00 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 $806, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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 $806 in Buenaventura to $1,259 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.