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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $924 in Colima versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,495 in Colima versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,066 in Colima versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Colima costs roughly 27% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colima 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 MX$111

$11.87 MX$204

-45.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.81 MX$546

$42.90 MX$736

-25.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 MX$135

$10.65 MX$183

-26.29%

Cappuccino

$2.14 MX$36.80

$3.45 MX$59.2

-37.97%

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

$0.76 MX$13.13

$1.50 MX$25.81

-49.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 MX$9.34

$0.95 MX$16.28

-43.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 MX$29.11

$3.03 MX$51.9

-43.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MX$48.53

$4.61 MX$79.1

-38.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 MX$23.80

$1.38 MX$23.61

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 MX$44.15

$1.85 MX$31.70

38.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MX$22.79

$1.61 MX$27.65

-17.39%

Eggs

$2.35 MX$40.28

$2.59 MX$44.51

-9.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 MX$97.6

$8.26 MX$142

-31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 MX$133

$8.37 MX$144

-7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 MX$169

$10.66 MX$183

-7.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 MX$49.37

$2.63 MX$45.12

9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MX$23.25

$1.49 MX$25.53

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 MX$26.23

$1.92 MX$32.94

-20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.78

$2.09 MX$35.81

5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.47

$1.86 MX$31.88

-7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 MX$41.96

$2.26 MX$38.81

7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MX$23.29

$1.06 MX$18.23

28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.65

$1.09 MX$18.67

-5.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 MX$60.9

$4.15 MX$71.2

-14.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 MX$116

$10.39 MX$178

-35.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$28.05

$1.72 MX$29.59

-5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MX$31.80

$2.61 MX$44.85

-29.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.33

$0.54 MX$9.30

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.04 MX$327

$26.94 MX$462

-29.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 MX$41.95

$3.13 MX$53.7

-22.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.26

$2.51 MX$43.09

-36.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 MX$144

$3.15 MX$54.1

166.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.12

$1.27 MX$21.88

1.57%

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

$21.6K MX$371.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-28.72%

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

$21.8K MX$375.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-7.29%

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

$64.9 MX$1,114

$83.0 MX$1,425

-21.78%

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

$19.38 MX$333

$22.71 MX$390

-14.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 MX$521

$29.46 MX$506

3.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.75 MX$579

$51.0 MX$875

-33.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 MX$366

$18.33 MX$315

16.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.93 MX$84.5

-7.71%

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

$139 MX$2,394

$197 MX$3,386

-29.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,416 MX$41.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-54.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.81 MX$786

$36.90 MX$633

24.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.05 MX$482

$39.89 MX$685

-29.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 MX$1,453

$80.0 MX$1,373

5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 MX$1,682

$89.5 MX$1,536

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 MX$8,641

$956 MX$16.4K

-47.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 MX$4,242

$477 MX$8,189

-48.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 MX$5,688

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-79.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 MX$9,418

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-55.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$305 MX$5,233

$667 MX$11.4K

-54.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.07

11.42

-3.06%

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

Last update for Colima: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $503 in Colima and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 119% 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: $32.00 in Colima vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $250 per month, with Colima 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

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

Colima and Playa del Carmen differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($924 vs $1,271 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 119% less. 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: $503 in Colima versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $139 in Colima versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $924 in Colima versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Colima and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.