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

🙂 Solo nomad: Cartago is 41.8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 36% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Cartago is 29.8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 46.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.70 COP 13.9K
$11.85 MX$211
-68.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.90 COP 108.7K
$42.16 MX$750
-31.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 COP 27.9K
$10.75 MX$191
-30.98%
Cappuccino
$1.55 COP 5,838
$3.47 MX$61.8
-55.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 COP 3,288
$1.45 MX$25.85
-40.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 COP 2,085
$0.90 MX$16.06
-38.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.04 COP 3,924
$3.05 MX$54.3
-65.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COP 9,286
$4.42 MX$78.6
-44.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 COP 4,612
$1.37 MX$24.36
-10.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 COP 5,495
$1.87 MX$33.31
-21.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 COP 4,548
$1.54 MX$27.46
-21.43%
Eggs
$2.48 COP 9,321
$2.50 MX$44.53
-0.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.19 COP 15.8K
$8.61 MX$153
-51.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.45 COP 20.5K
$8.63 MX$154
-36.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.41 COP 27.9K
$11.02 MX$196
-32.76%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 COP 9,018
$2.75 MX$48.91
-12.73%
Banana (1kg)
$0.98 COP 3,696
$1.43 MX$25.41
-31.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.20 COP 4,516
$1.87 MX$33.32
-35.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 COP 4,772
$2.17 MX$38.56
-41.47%
Potato (1kg)
$0.83 COP 3,107
$1.88 MX$33.50
-55.85%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 COP 4,156
$2.25 MX$39.96
-50.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 COP 2,850
$1.07 MX$18.99
-28.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 COP 2,461
$1.07 MX$19.10
-39.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89 COP 10.9K
$4.15 MX$73.9
-30.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.83 COP 40.7K
$10.34 MX$184
4.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 COP 4,182
$1.68 MX$29.87
-33.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 COP 6,960
$2.48 MX$44.19
-25.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 COP 2,587
$0.55 MX$9.87
25.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.53 MX$472
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 COP 5,775
$3.22 MX$57.2
-52.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COP 7,359
$2.48 MX$44.15
-20.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.96 COP 37.4K
$3.11 MX$55.3
220.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COP 3,567
$1.26 MX$22.34
-24.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K COP 81.7M
$30.7K MX$545.4K
-29.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K COP 111.8M
$24.0K MX$427.6K
23.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 COP 312.2K
$82.5 MX$1,467
0.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.88 COP 33.4K
$22.29 MX$396
-60.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.19 COP 91.0K
$30.02 MX$534
-19.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.62 COP 88.8K
$51.4 MX$915
-54.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.29 MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.94 COP 18.6K
$4.98 MX$88.7
-0.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$228 COP 858.2K
$200 MX$3,558
14.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,962 COP 22.4M
$5,304 MX$94.4K
12.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.8 COP 239.8K
$35.71 MX$635
78.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.68 COP 168.0K
$39.56 MX$704
12.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.4 COP 287.2K
$80.6 MX$1,433
-5.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.0 COP 342.1K
$88.3 MX$1,571
3.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$288 COP 1.1M
$969 MX$17.2K
-70.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$243 COP 913.1K
$482 MX$8,579
-49.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$537 COP 2.0M
$1,595 MX$28.4K
-66.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$426 COP 1.6M
$1,184 MX$21.1K
-64.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,495 COP 5.6M
$4,050 MX$72.1K
-63.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,363 COP 5.1M
$6,522 MX$116.0K
-79.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cartago
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$310 COP 1.2M
$756 MX$13.5K
-59.08%
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 Cartago: March 3, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: March 3, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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