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 $1,270 per month in Cartagena vs $1,325 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,128 per month in Cartagena vs $2,355 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,987 per month in Cartagena vs $3,384 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cartagena is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cartagena and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 COP 16.1K

$12.87 MX$220

-60.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$136 COP 428.1K

$47.29 MX$807

188.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 COP 32.0K

$12.79 MX$218

-20.25%

Cappuccino

$3.63 COP 11.4K

$3.96 MX$67.5

-8.33%

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

$1.86 COP 5,837

$1.43 MX$24.36

30.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 COP 5,790

$0.83 MX$14.09

122.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 COP 6,080

$3.03 MX$51.7

-35.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 COP 15.2K

$6.96 MX$119

-30.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 COP 6,070

$1.69 MX$28.87

14.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 COP 8,897

$2.13 MX$36.34

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,547

$1.69 MX$28.79

-14.20%

Eggs

$5.01 COP 15.7K

$2.76 MX$47.06

81.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 COP 43.0K

$9.19 MX$157

49.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.87 COP 56.1K

$9.03 MX$154

97.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.39 MX$211

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 MX$52.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.37

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.57

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.59

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.99

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 MX$34.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MX$20.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 COP 6,411

$1.14 MX$19.40

78.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MX$78.8

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 COP 46.2K

$10.60 MX$181

38.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 4,645

$1.64 MX$27.97

-9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MX$50.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,893

$0.61 MX$10.33

103.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 COP 185.6K

$29.50 MX$503

100.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 COP 14.7K

$5.31 MX$90.5

-11.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 COP 11.7K

$3.73 MX$63.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 COP 29.7K

$5.79 MX$98.7

63.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,097

$1.58 MX$26.88

-17.09%

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

$24.0K COP 75.3M

$22.4K MX$382.6K

7.02%

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

$34.3K COP 107.7M

$25.4K MX$433.3K

35.14%

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

$80.6 COP 253.0K

$90.7 MX$1,546

-11.06%

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

$23.03 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.71 MX$541

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.9 COP 294.7K

$67.1 MX$1,145

39.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 COP 26.2K

$5.05 MX$86.2

65.35%

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

$630 COP 2.0M

$222 MX$3,779

184.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 COP 18.2M

$4,223 MX$72.0K

37.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 MX$777

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.06 MX$752

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 MX$1,643

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 MX$1,591

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 COP 3.3M

$1,074 MX$18.3K

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 COP 1.8M

$402 MX$6,861

45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,274 COP 7.1M

$1,908 MX$32.5K

19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 COP 3.0M

$1,259 MX$21.5K

-25.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,093 MX$69.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$968 COP 3.0M

$6,594 MX$112.5K

-85.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 COP 1.5M

$753 MX$12.8K

-36.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

29.31%

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

Last update for Cartagena: August 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,050 in Cartagena versus $1,074 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 58% 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 $136 in Cartagena versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $265 in Cartagena vs $274 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 4% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,905 per month in Cartagena and $1,988 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 $630 per month in Cartagena and $222 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 3% 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 $1,270, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,325. 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 $1,270 versus $1,325 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.