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: $753 in Duitama versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,112 in Duitama versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,471 in Duitama versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duitama costs roughly 40% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duitama 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.19 COP 10.2K

$11.72 MX$204

-72.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.43 COP 62.0K

$41.89 MX$731

-53.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 COP 21.6K

$10.51 MX$183

-35.68%

Cappuccino

$1.35 COP 4,314

$3.59 MX$62.5

-62.40%

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

$0.75 COP 2,387

$1.51 MX$26.31

-50.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,743

$0.92 MX$15.96

-40.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 COP 4,474

$2.96 MX$51.6

-52.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 COP 6,416

$4.41 MX$76.9

-54.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 3,734

$1.40 MX$24.35

-16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 COP 3,384

$1.88 MX$32.87

-43.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 COP 3,826

$1.56 MX$27.19

-23.08%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,093

$2.61 MX$45.50

-14.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$8.32 MX$145

-51.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 COP 19.0K

$8.35 MX$146

-28.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 COP 23.2K

$10.86 MX$189

-32.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 COP 8,005

$2.71 MX$47.31

-7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 COP 3,880

$1.51 MX$26.25

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 COP 2,818

$1.87 MX$32.67

-52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 2,874

$2.19 MX$38.19

-58.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 4,001

$1.86 MX$32.40

-32.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,284

$2.23 MX$38.90

-53.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 COP 2,909

$1.07 MX$18.63

-14.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 COP 2,389

$1.09 MX$18.94

-31.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 COP 5,575

$4.19 MX$73.0

-58.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.15 COP 29.2K

$10.43 MX$182

-12.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,656

$1.66 MX$28.91

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 4,734

$2.61 MX$45.56

-43.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,283

$0.54 MX$9.45

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.29 COP 96.6K

$26.16 MX$456

15.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 COP 5,599

$3.08 MX$53.7

-43.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 COP 4,895

$2.40 MX$41.94

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 19.7K

$3.13 MX$54.5

97.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.31 MX$22.87

-24.43%

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

$19.2K COP 61.2M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-35.59%

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

$27.8K COP 88.7M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

19.27%

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

$71.8 COP 228.9K

$81.3 MX$1,418

-11.71%

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

$8.76 COP 27.9K

$22.56 MX$393

-61.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.01 COP 38.3K

$30.05 MX$524

-60.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.65 COP 75.5K

$52.9 MX$923

-55.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$2.37 COP 7,562

$4.92 MX$85.8

-51.83%

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

$234 COP 746.0K

$201 MX$3,502

16.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,476 COP 7.9M

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-52.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 COP 207.4K

$35.92 MX$627

80.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.70 COP 104.3K

$40.13 MX$700

-18.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 COP 269.9K

$79.7 MX$1,390

6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.76 COP 120.5K

$86.5 MX$1,508

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 COP 915.5K

$978 MX$17.1K

-70.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 748.2K

$470 MX$8,206

-50.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$708 COP 2.3M

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-57.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$392 COP 1.3M

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-67.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,921 COP 6.1M

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-51.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,509 COP 4.8M

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-77.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

11.42

33.54%

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

Last update for Duitama: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $287 in Duitama and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Duitama vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $252 per month, with Duitama 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

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

Duitama wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duitama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,129 in Duitama and $1,890 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: $287 in Duitama versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $753 per month in Duitama versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duitama runs roughly 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $753 in Duitama versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duitama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duitama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duitama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $753 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duitama 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 Duitama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.