Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, SC and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, SC and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,160 in Columbia, SC versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,066 in Columbia, SC versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,971 in Columbia, SC versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Columbia, SC is roughly 67% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Columbia, SC is 61% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.02 $18.02

$11.73 MX$203

53.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 $60.1

$41.62 MX$721

44.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$10.64 MX$184

11.84%

Cappuccino

$3.78 $3.78

$3.52 MX$61.0

7.39%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.51 MX$26.17

52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.97 MX$16.87

93.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.95 MX$51.1

53.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.37 $5.37

$4.45 MX$77.2

20.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.38 MX$23.97

-34.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.89 MX$32.78

42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.64 MX$28.37

114.02%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$2.51 MX$43.42

66.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.66 $9.66

$8.34 MX$145

15.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.71 $12.71

$8.34 MX$145

52.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.47 $22.47

$10.73 MX$186

109.41%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.60 MX$45.12

92.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.46 MX$25.25

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$1.90 MX$32.94

175.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.08 MX$35.98

50.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.78 MX$30.77

86.52%

Onion (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.19 MX$37.87

110.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.04 MX$18.02

91.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.08 MX$18.66

74.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.84 $8.84

$4.08 MX$70.7

116.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$10.32 MX$179

48.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 MX$29.67

14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.58 MX$44.63

5.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.51 MX$8.83

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.48 $40.48

$26.46 MX$459

52.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.26 MX$56.5

-39.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.49 MX$43.17

-40.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.23 $18.23

$3.25 MX$56.3

460.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.31 MX$22.65

-42.75%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-0.94%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

9.01%

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

$223 $223

$82.9 MX$1,436

169.14%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$22.22 MX$385

141.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$29.34 MX$508

101.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.79 $39.79

$51.6 MX$895

-22.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.10 $7.10

$18.32 MX$317

-61.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$5.07 MX$87.8

196.45%

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

$1,453 $1,453

$201 MX$3,480

623.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K $22.9K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

339.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$36.92 MX$640

48.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.82 $34.82

$39.79 MX$689

-12.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 $78.0

$78.5 MX$1,360

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$87.1 MX$1,509

32.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 $1,325

$973 MX$16.9K

36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$918 $918

$468 MX$8,105

96.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,217 $2,217

$1,641 MX$28.4K

35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$1,221 MX$21.2K

7.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,103 $2,103

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-46.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,640 $1,640

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-74.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,216 $3,216

$664 MX$11.5K

384.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Columbia, SC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Columbia, SC and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC pays 384% 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: $60.0 in Columbia, SC vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

Columbia, SC vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Columbia, SC pays 384% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,325 in Columbia, SC versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Columbia, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $60.0 in Columbia, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,160 in Columbia, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Columbia, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Columbia, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Columbia, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.