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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,332 in Duitama versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,039 in Duitama versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,746 in Duitama versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duitama is roughly 5% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duitama 3% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.66 COP 17.6K

$11.60 MX$199

-51.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.12 COP 99.8K

$47.11 MX$808

-31.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 COP 29.5K

$11.88 MX$204

-20.12%

Cappuccino

$2.16 COP 6,724

$3.98 MX$68.2

-45.73%

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

$1.43 COP 4,456

$1.43 MX$24.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,312

$0.82 MX$14.14

30.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 5,177

$3.19 MX$54.7

-47.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 COP 7,884

$6.79 MX$116

-62.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 COP 4,527

$1.68 MX$28.72

-13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,583

$2.20 MX$37.67

-32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 COP 5,265

$1.71 MX$29.29

-1.17%

Eggs

$3.14 COP 9,759

$2.74 MX$46.99

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 COP 24.8K

$9.58 MX$164

-16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.54 COP 45.2K

$9.01 MX$154

61.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 COP 54.8K

$12.81 MX$220

37.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 COP 11.0K

$2.89 MX$49.52

22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,474

$1.50 MX$25.67

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 COP 6,811

$2.15 MX$36.83

1.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 COP 5,848

$2.26 MX$38.74

-16.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$1.98 MX$33.96

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,732

$1.99 MX$34.11

-23.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,109

$1.23 MX$21.16

-18.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 COP 2,948

$1.20 MX$20.52

-20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 COP 13.7K

$4.55 MX$78.0

-3.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 COP 40.2K

$10.37 MX$178

24.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,497

$1.62 MX$27.76

-10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 COP 5,196

$2.88 MX$49.39

-42.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 COP 3,215

$0.60 MX$10.29

71.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 COP 9,035

$5.39 MX$92.4

-46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 COP 6,385

$3.73 MX$63.9

-44.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.17 COP 25.4K

$5.77 MX$98.9

41.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,162

$1.54 MX$26.34

-12.99%

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

$27.5K COP 85.5M

$22.5K MX$386.6K

22.03%

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

$34.2K COP 106.1M

$26.1K MX$446.7K

31.11%

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

$175 COP 543.6K

$91.4 MX$1,567

91.45%

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

$10.85 COP 33.7K

$25.20 MX$432

-56.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.55 COP 82.5K

$31.24 MX$536

-15.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.53 COP 104.2K

$67.2 MX$1,152

-50.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 COP 20.5K

$4.86 MX$83.4

35.80%

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

$676 COP 2.1M

$224 MX$3,834

202.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,088 COP 18.9M

$4,229 MX$72.5K

43.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 COP 168.6K

$47.10 MX$808

15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.3 COP 177.9K

$44.29 MX$759

29.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 381.2K

$80.1 MX$1,373

53.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 COP 306.3K

$92.7 MX$1,589

6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 COP 2.4M

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 COP 1.5M

$390 MX$6,690

22.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 COP 3.7M

$2,149 MX$36.8K

-44.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,030 COP 3.2M

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-19.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,784 COP 5.5M

$4,001 MX$68.6K

-55.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,629 COP 5.1M

$6,502 MX$111.5K

-74.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

11.45

8.30%

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

Last update for Duitama: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $765 in Duitama and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Duitama vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $276, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Duitama. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,998 in Duitama and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $765 in Duitama versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Duitama. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,332 per month in Duitama versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,332 in Duitama, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Duitama. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,266 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Duitama 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Duitama. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.