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 $1,070 per month in Cartagena vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Cartagena vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Cartagena vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cartagena is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cartagena and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 COP 20.5K

$11.87 MX$204

-50.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.71 COP 163.0K

$42.90 MX$736

8.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$10.65 MX$183

-11.46%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,658

$3.45 MX$59.2

-53.04%

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

$0.82 COP 2,855

$1.50 MX$25.81

-45.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,309

$0.95 MX$16.28

-30.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,347

$3.03 MX$51.9

-58.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 COP 10.1K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 COP 4,020

$1.38 MX$23.61

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 COP 6,695

$1.85 MX$31.70

3.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,818

$1.61 MX$27.65

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,317

$2.59 MX$44.51

-18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 COP 23.5K

$8.26 MX$142

-18.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 COP 21.4K

$8.37 MX$144

-26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 COP 27.3K

$10.66 MX$183

-26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 COP 11.2K

$2.63 MX$45.12

22.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,729

$1.49 MX$25.53

29.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 COP 5,011

$1.92 MX$32.94

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,757

$2.09 MX$35.81

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,378

$1.86 MX$31.88

-17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,716

$2.26 MX$38.81

-53.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,489

$1.06 MX$18.23

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,224

$1.09 MX$18.67

-41.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 7,973

$4.15 MX$71.2

-45.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 COP 64.4K

$10.39 MX$178

77.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 3,272

$1.72 MX$29.59

-45.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 COP 3,392

$2.61 MX$44.85

-62.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 COP 3,583

$0.54 MX$9.30

90.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 COP 98.0K

$26.94 MX$462

4.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 8,570

$3.13 MX$53.7

-21.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 COP 8,521

$2.51 MX$43.09

-2.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 COP 16.5K

$3.15 MX$54.1

50.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,552

$1.27 MX$21.88

-19.69%

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

$21.4K COP 74.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-29.46%

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

$23.6K COP 82.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

0.08%

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

$139 COP 486.8K

$83.0 MX$1,425

68.05%

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

$10.98 COP 38.3K

$22.71 MX$390

-51.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 COP 87.3K

$29.46 MX$506

-15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.52 COP 120.5K

$51.0 MX$875

-32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 COP 29.7K

$18.33 MX$315

-53.63%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 COP 9,936

$4.93 MX$84.5

-42.19%

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

$139 COP 485.5K

$197 MX$3,386

-29.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,857 COP 20.4M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

10.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.52 COP 165.9K

$36.90 MX$633

28.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.12 COP 133.0K

$39.89 MX$685

-4.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 440.8K

$80.0 MX$1,373

57.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 396.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 COP 2.5M

$956 MX$16.4K

-24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 COP 1.2M

$477 MX$8,189

-29.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 COP 4.4M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 COP 1.6M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-61.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 COP 10.7M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-21.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$842 COP 2.9M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-86.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 COP 1.4M

$667 MX$11.4K

-38.51%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $725 in Cartagena versus $956 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 63% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Cartagena vs $250 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 19% 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 $1,605 per month in Cartagena and $1,906 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 $139 per month in Cartagena and $197 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 12% 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 $1,070, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,070 versus $1,271 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.