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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Cartagena vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Cartagena vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Cartagena vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cartagena is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cartagena and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 COP 22.4K

$11.94 MX$208

-48.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.58 COP 173.1K

$42.75 MX$744

11.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 COP 35.8K

$10.59 MX$184

-6.99%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,992

$3.62 MX$63.0

-54.42%

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

$0.81 COP 2,936

$1.47 MX$25.54

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,425

$0.94 MX$16.41

-28.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,717

$3.09 MX$53.8

-57.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 COP 10.7K

$4.46 MX$77.6

-33.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,155

$1.43 MX$24.80

-20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 6,765

$1.88 MX$32.79

-1.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,819

$1.63 MX$28.34

-18.40%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 7,661

$2.64 MX$45.99

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 25.7K

$8.21 MX$143

-13.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.5K

$8.29 MX$144

-28.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 COP 29.6K

$11.10 MX$193

-26.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 COP 11.6K

$2.65 MX$46.14

20.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 COP 7,111

$1.50 MX$26.11

30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,465

$1.99 MX$34.59

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,732

$2.08 MX$36.13

-24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,630

$1.79 MX$31.11

-13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,921

$2.18 MX$37.87

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,646

$1.08 MX$18.73

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,160

$1.04 MX$18.04

-43.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,567

$3.97 MX$69.1

-40.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 COP 67.3K

$10.20 MX$178

81.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,392

$1.73 MX$30.04

-46.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,737

$2.50 MX$43.46

-58.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,834

$0.52 MX$9.02

101.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 102.1K

$26.97 MX$469

4.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 8,666

$3.14 MX$54.7

-24.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 8,619

$2.40 MX$41.80

-1.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 COP 17.9K

$3.09 MX$53.7

59.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,736

$1.27 MX$22.16

-18.90%

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

$20.9K COP 75.9M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-32.41%

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

$23.6K COP 85.9M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

1.33%

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

$142 COP 518.0K

$82.0 MX$1,427

73.65%

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

$10.96 COP 39.8K

$22.45 MX$391

-51.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 COP 91.5K

$29.66 MX$516

-15.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 COP 128.3K

$51.9 MX$903

-32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 COP 32.2K

$18.67 MX$325

-52.65%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.7K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-40.85%

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

$142 COP 516.2K

$198 MX$3,442

-28.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 COP 21.5M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

12.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 COP 175.1K

$36.34 MX$632

32.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 COP 143.5K

$40.05 MX$697

-1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 448.6K

$79.9 MX$1,390

54.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 416.7K

$88.9 MX$1,547

28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 COP 2.7M

$963 MX$16.8K

-23.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 COP 1.2M

$465 MX$8,086

-28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 COP 4.8M

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-18.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.7M

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-60.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.2M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-21.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.2M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-69.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

$720 MX$12.5K

-41.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

31.35%

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

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Cartagena versus $963 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 71% 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 $48.00 in Cartagena versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Cartagena vs $251 in Playa del Carmen – so Cartagena 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,593 per month in Cartagena and $1,930 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 Cartagena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $142 per month in Cartagena and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,062, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,062 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cartagena. 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.