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: $2,208 in Columbia, SC versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,413 in Columbia, SC versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,618 in Columbia, SC versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Columbia, SC is roughly 69% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Columbia, SC is 60% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$11.96 MX$203

64.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 $60.9

$47.38 MX$804

28.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$11.75 MX$199

3.74%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$4.12 MX$70.0

28.16%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$1.40 MX$23.74

92.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.91 MX$15.48

142.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.41 $5.41

$3.21 MX$54.4

68.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.36 $6.36

$7.07 MX$120

-10.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.68 MX$28.44

-50.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.15 MX$36.48

14.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.77 MX$30.10

155.93%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$2.82 MX$47.76

48.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 $10.11

$9.20 MX$156

9.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$9.23 MX$157

20.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 $15.74

$12.64 MX$214

24.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.95 MX$50.1

74.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.58 MX$26.79

4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$2.22 MX$37.70

190.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.36 MX$40.09

155.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.99 MX$33.81

57.79%

Onion (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.98 MX$33.58

112.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.24 MX$21.04

55.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.21 MX$20.55

59.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.73 $8.73

$4.60 MX$78.1

89.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 $16.14

$10.52 MX$178

53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.69 MX$28.70

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.77 MX$47.06

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.60 MX$10.22

236.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.73 $39.73

$29.70 MX$504

33.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$5.24 MX$88.8

-62.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.65 MX$61.9

-58.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.14 $18.14

$5.78 MX$98.1

213.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.54 MX$26.09

-39.61%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

54.65%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-2.86%

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

$270 $270

$90.7 MX$1,538

197.36%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$25.19 MX$427

134.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 $65.3

$31.75 MX$539

105.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.43 $37.43

$68.8 MX$1,167

-45.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.72 $17.72

$29.37 MX$498

-39.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.96 $14.96

$4.86 MX$82.5

207.82%

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

$1,127 $1,127

$226 MX$3,828

399.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

427.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$47.38 MX$804

11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 $40.11

$43.45 MX$737

-7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 $82.1

$80.2 MX$1,361

2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$91.4 MX$1,550

23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 $1,262

$1,086 MX$18.4K

16.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 $841

$409 MX$6,933

105.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,173 $2,173

$1,972 MX$33.5K

10.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,749 $1,749

$1,281 MX$21.7K

36.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,084 $2,084

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-48.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,672 $1,672

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-75.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,217 $3,217

$773 MX$13.1K

316.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.45

-46.72%

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

Last update for Columbia, SC: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,262 in Columbia, SC and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC pays 316% 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: $61.0 in Columbia, SC vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 vs $278 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, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 316% higher in Columbia, SC, 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: $1,262 in Columbia, SC versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% 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 $47.00 versus $61.0 in Columbia, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,208 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 69% less than in Columbia, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.