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: $747 in Cali versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,229 in Cali versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,710 in Cali versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cali costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cali 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 11.9K

$11.99 MX$210

-69.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 COP 94.9K

$41.78 MX$731

-30.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 COP 24.1K

$10.75 MX$188

-31.07%

Cappuccino

$1.58 COP 5,130

$3.50 MX$61.1

-54.86%

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

$0.95 COP 3,095

$1.45 MX$25.33

-34.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 1,940

$0.88 MX$15.47

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 COP 3,297

$2.95 MX$51.6

-65.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 COP 8,484

$4.51 MX$78.9

-42.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,029

$1.43 MX$25.04

-13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 COP 4,770

$1.84 MX$32.13

-20.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,076

$1.57 MX$27.42

-20.38%

Eggs

$2.48 COP 8,065

$2.51 MX$43.92

-1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 14.1K

$8.28 MX$145

-47.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 COP 17.4K

$8.43 MX$147

-36.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.49 COP 24.4K

$10.68 MX$187

-29.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 COP 8,108

$2.61 MX$45.62

-4.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,986

$1.44 MX$25.15

-36.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,749

$1.96 MX$34.31

-41.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,260

$2.09 MX$36.62

-37.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 COP 2,881

$1.85 MX$32.37

-51.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,593

$2.17 MX$37.90

-48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,427

$1.03 MX$18.04

-27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,211

$1.07 MX$18.78

-36.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 COP 9,454

$4.10 MX$71.7

-29.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 COP 41.9K

$10.17 MX$178

26.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,478

$1.68 MX$29.29

-36.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 COP 6,040

$2.53 MX$44.17

-26.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,386

$0.51 MX$8.90

43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 COP 65.6K

$26.04 MX$455

-22.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 COP 5,043

$3.23 MX$56.5

-52.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,171

$2.41 MX$42.06

-21.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 COP 30.7K

$3.23 MX$56.5

192.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 COP 3,190

$1.32 MX$23.10

-25.76%

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

$21.9K COP 71.3M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-26.15%

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

$29.6K COP 96.2M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

25.08%

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

$83.3 COP 270.9K

$82.0 MX$1,434

1.60%

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

$8.94 COP 29.1K

$22.95 MX$401

-61.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.55 COP 79.8K

$30.11 MX$527

-18.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 COP 64.3K

$52.0 MX$909

-61.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.72 COP 47.9K

$18.53 MX$324

-20.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 COP 15.9K

$4.98 MX$87.0

-2.01%

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

$222 COP 720.7K

$197 MX$3,452

12.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

10.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 COP 208.1K

$35.60 MX$622

79.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 COP 141.5K

$40.33 MX$705

7.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 COP 248.1K

$78.8 MX$1,377

-3.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 291.1K

$88.9 MX$1,555

0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 783.0K

$947 MX$16.6K

-74.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 COP 611.5K

$474 MX$8,288

-60.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 COP 2.0M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-62.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-67.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,258 COP 4.1M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-68.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 COP 3.2M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-84.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$554 COP 1.8M

$654 MX$11.4K

-15.29%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Cali and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 18% 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 $184 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 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $241 in Cali versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $222 in Cali versus $197 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 35% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $747 in Cali versus $1,256 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 68% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.