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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Cali versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Cali versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Cali versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cali costs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 13.0K

$11.73 MX$203

-68.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$41.62 MX$720

-29.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$10.64 MX$184

-30.83%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$3.52 MX$60.9

-54.26%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$1.51 MX$26.12

-37.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.97 MX$16.84

-43.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$2.95 MX$51.0

-64.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$4.45 MX$77.0

-42.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$1.38 MX$23.93

-11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$1.89 MX$32.72

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$1.64 MX$28.32

-26.22%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$2.51 MX$43.34

-1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$8.34 MX$144

-48.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$8.34 MX$144

-34.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$10.73 MX$186

-29.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$2.60 MX$45.04

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$1.46 MX$25.20

-33.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$1.90 MX$32.87

-36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$2.08 MX$35.91

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$1.78 MX$30.71

-50.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$2.19 MX$37.80

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$1.04 MX$17.99

-27.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$1.08 MX$18.62

-39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$4.08 MX$70.6

-28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$10.32 MX$178

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$1.71 MX$29.61

-35.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$2.58 MX$44.54

-28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.51 MX$8.81

31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$26.46 MX$458

-23.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$3.26 MX$56.4

-52.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$2.49 MX$43.09

-24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$3.25 MX$56.2

201.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$1.31 MX$22.61

-29.01%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-29.37%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

29.44%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-2.33%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$22.22 MX$384

-60.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$29.34 MX$507

-18.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$51.6 MX$893

-62.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

$18.32 MX$317

-19.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$5.07 MX$87.6

-3.94%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$201 MX$3,473

12.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

15.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$36.92 MX$639

72.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$39.79 MX$688

10.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$78.5 MX$1,357

0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$87.1 MX$1,506

2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$468 MX$8,090

-60.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-62.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-66.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-72.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-86.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

$664 MX$11.5K

-25.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

11.42

1.40%

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

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $249 per month, with Cali cheaper across the board.

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

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

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 34% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $234 in Cali versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Cali versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $744 in Cali versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.