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: $703 in Cucuta versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,114 in Cucuta versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,524 in Cucuta versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cucuta costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cucuta 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.69 COP 13.2K

$11.73 MX$203

-68.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.71 COP 84.7K

$41.62 MX$720

-43.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 COP 26.7K

$10.64 MX$184

-29.79%

Cappuccino

$0.99 COP 3,526

$3.52 MX$60.9

-71.88%

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

$0.89 COP 3,173

$1.51 MX$26.12

-41.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 COP 1,230

$0.97 MX$16.84

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.15 COP 4,110

$2.95 MX$51.0

-61.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 7,913

$4.45 MX$77.0

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 COP 3,085

$1.38 MX$23.93

-37.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 COP 3,301

$1.89 MX$32.72

-51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 COP 3,368

$1.64 MX$28.32

-42.68%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,899

$2.51 MX$43.34

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 COP 18.9K

$8.34 MX$144

-36.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 COP 18.8K

$8.34 MX$144

-36.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 COP 26.2K

$10.73 MX$186

-31.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,652

$2.60 MX$45.04

-6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,672

$1.46 MX$25.20

-48.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,692

$1.90 MX$32.87

-60.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 COP 2,254

$2.08 MX$35.91

-69.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,686

$1.78 MX$30.71

-57.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 COP 2,093

$2.19 MX$37.80

-73.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 COP 2,238

$1.04 MX$17.99

-39.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,566

$1.08 MX$18.62

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 COP 8,530

$4.08 MX$70.6

-41.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 COP 38.6K

$10.32 MX$178

4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,900

$1.71 MX$29.61

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 COP 6,398

$2.58 MX$44.54

-30.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 COP 2,483

$0.51 MX$8.81

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.51 COP 105.4K

$26.46 MX$458

11.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 COP 5,103

$3.26 MX$56.4

-56.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 5,390

$2.49 MX$43.09

-39.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 COP 18.2K

$3.25 MX$56.2

56.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,522

$1.31 MX$22.61

-24.43%

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

$18.2K COP 65.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-39.93%

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

$25.9K COP 92.4M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

10.46%

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

$86.4 COP 308.5K

$82.9 MX$1,433

4.25%

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

$9.04 COP 32.3K

$22.22 MX$384

-59.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$29.34 MX$507

-33.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.64 COP 84.4K

$51.6 MX$893

-54.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.79 COP 31.4K

$18.32 MX$317

-52.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 COP 13.8K

$5.07 MX$87.6

-23.67%

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

$331 COP 1.2M

$201 MX$3,473

64.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,202 COP 15.0M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-19.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 COP 211.5K

$36.92 MX$639

60.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.31 COP 118.9K

$39.79 MX$688

-16.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 COP 292.0K

$78.5 MX$1,357

4.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 COP 256.0K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-17.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 COP 900.5K

$973 MX$16.8K

-74.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 COP 610.6K

$468 MX$8,090

-63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 COP 2.1M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 COP 1.3M

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-70.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,554 COP 5.5M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-60.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,144 COP 4.1M

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-82.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 COP 1.6M

$664 MX$11.5K

-31.64%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $252 in Cucuta and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 46% 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 $163 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 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 46% 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: $252 in Cucuta 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 53% 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 $703 in Cucuta versus $1,297 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 84% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.