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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $696 in Cucuta versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,113 in Cucuta versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,530 in Cucuta versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cucuta costs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cucuta 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 COP 12.0K

$11.99 MX$210

-69.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 COP 78.1K

$41.78 MX$731

-42.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 23.8K

$10.75 MX$188

-31.91%

Cappuccino

$0.99 COP 3,209

$3.50 MX$61.1

-71.71%

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

$0.88 COP 2,863

$1.45 MX$25.33

-39.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 COP 1,136

$0.88 MX$15.47

-60.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 3,934

$2.95 MX$51.6

-58.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 7,205

$4.51 MX$78.9

-50.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 COP 2,838

$1.43 MX$25.04

-39.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 COP 3,104

$1.84 MX$32.13

-48.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 COP 3,243

$1.57 MX$27.42

-36.31%

Eggs

$2.12 COP 6,886

$2.51 MX$43.92

-15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 COP 17.7K

$8.28 MX$145

-34.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 COP 17.2K

$8.43 MX$147

-37.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 COP 23.7K

$10.68 MX$187

-31.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 COP 8,275

$2.61 MX$45.62

-2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,455

$1.44 MX$25.15

-47.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 COP 2,286

$1.96 MX$34.31

-64.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 COP 2,046

$2.09 MX$36.62

-69.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 COP 2,467

$1.85 MX$32.37

-58.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 COP 2,070

$2.17 MX$37.90

-70.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 COP 1,901

$1.03 MX$18.04

-43.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 COP 2,431

$1.07 MX$18.78

-29.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 COP 7,770

$4.10 MX$71.7

-41.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 COP 38.5K

$10.17 MX$178

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,667

$1.68 MX$29.29

-32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 5,581

$2.53 MX$44.17

-32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,175

$0.51 MX$8.90

31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.69 COP 96.5K

$26.04 MX$455

14.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,600

$3.23 MX$56.5

-56.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 COP 4,885

$2.41 MX$42.06

-37.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 COP 17.2K

$3.23 MX$56.5

64.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,207

$1.32 MX$23.10

-25.00%

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

$17.6K COP 57.4M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-40.58%

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

$26.0K COP 84.4M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

9.73%

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

$85.5 COP 277.9K

$82.0 MX$1,434

4.23%

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

$9.18 COP 29.9K

$22.95 MX$401

-60.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.24 COP 62.6K

$30.11 MX$527

-36.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.55 COP 76.6K

$52.0 MX$909

-54.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.82 COP 28.7K

$18.53 MX$324

-52.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 COP 13.1K

$4.98 MX$87.0

-19.48%

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

$324 COP 1.1M

$197 MX$3,452

63.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,243 COP 13.8M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-20.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 COP 193.4K

$35.60 MX$622

67.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.18 COP 104.6K

$40.33 MX$705

-20.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 COP 272.7K

$78.8 MX$1,377

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 COP 227.3K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-21.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 COP 826.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-73.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 COP 550.1K

$474 MX$8,288

-64.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 COP 1.9M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 COP 1.2M

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-70.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,770 COP 5.8M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-56.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,295 COP 4.2M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-79.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 COP 1.6M

$654 MX$11.4K

-23.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

11.42

15.41%

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

Last update for Cucuta: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Cucuta and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 31% 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: $24.00 in Cucuta vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $249 per month, with Cucuta 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

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

Cucuta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $254 in Cucuta versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cucuta – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $696 in Cucuta versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cucuta but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cucuta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Cucuta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.