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: $735 in Duitama versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,111 in Duitama versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,488 in Duitama versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duitama costs roughly 42% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duitama 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.19 COP 11.1K

$11.87 MX$204

-73.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.24 COP 67.1K

$42.90 MX$736

-55.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 COP 24.2K

$10.65 MX$183

-35.02%

Cappuccino

$1.34 COP 4,682

$3.45 MX$59.2

-61.16%

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

$0.77 COP 2,675

$1.50 MX$25.81

-48.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 COP 2,029

$0.95 MX$16.28

-38.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 COP 4,810

$3.03 MX$51.9

-54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 COP 7,390

$4.61 MX$79.1

-54.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 4,078

$1.38 MX$23.61

-15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 COP 3,848

$1.85 MX$31.70

-40.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 COP 4,320

$1.61 MX$27.65

-22.98%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 7,877

$2.59 MX$44.51

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.22 COP 14.7K

$8.26 MX$142

-48.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 COP 20.3K

$8.37 MX$144

-30.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.22 COP 25.2K

$10.66 MX$183

-32.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 COP 9,108

$2.63 MX$45.12

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,083

$1.49 MX$25.53

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,136

$1.92 MX$32.94

-53.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 2,978

$2.09 MX$35.81

-59.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 COP 4,308

$1.86 MX$31.88

-33.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,394

$2.26 MX$38.81

-57.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 COP 3,328

$1.06 MX$18.23

-10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 COP 2,787

$1.09 MX$18.67

-26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 COP 5,855

$4.15 MX$71.2

-59.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 COP 30.0K

$10.39 MX$178

-17.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 2,959

$1.72 MX$29.59

-50.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 COP 5,160

$2.61 MX$44.85

-43.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,389

$0.54 MX$9.30

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.12 COP 105.1K

$26.94 MX$462

11.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 COP 5,912

$3.13 MX$53.7

-46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 COP 5,633

$2.51 MX$43.09

-35.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 COP 21.7K

$3.15 MX$54.1

97.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,312

$1.27 MX$21.88

-25.20%

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

$19.7K COP 68.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-35.01%

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

$28.3K COP 98.7M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

20.00%

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

$73.0 COP 254.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-12.08%

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

$8.92 COP 31.1K

$22.71 MX$390

-60.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.00 COP 41.9K

$29.46 MX$506

-59.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.55 COP 82.2K

$51.0 MX$875

-53.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$2.36 COP 8,238

$4.93 MX$84.5

-52.13%

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

$243 COP 847.6K

$197 MX$3,386

23.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,488 COP 8.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-52.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 COP 223.8K

$36.90 MX$633

73.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.84 COP 114.6K

$39.89 MX$685

-17.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 COP 295.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

5.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.10 COP 133.0K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-57.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 982.0K

$956 MX$16.4K

-70.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 838.7K

$477 MX$8,189

-49.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 COP 2.5M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-57.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 COP 1.3M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-68.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,744 COP 6.1M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-55.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 COP 4.7M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-79.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Duitama and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Duitama vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $250 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 73% 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 $1,103 in Duitama and $1,906 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: $281 in Duitama versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $735 per month in Duitama versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duitama runs roughly 12% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $735 in Duitama versus $1,271 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 $735 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 73% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.