😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,320 in Envigado versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,074 in Envigado versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,829 in Envigado versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Envigado is roughly 1% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Envigado4% lower, Playa del Carmen5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.59COP 23.6K
$11.96MX$202
-36.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.92COP 130.1K
$47.38MX$801
-11.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.79COP 30.4K
$11.75MX$199
-16.68%
Cappuccino
$2.65COP 8,229
$4.12MX$69.7
-35.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31COP 4,083
$1.40MX$23.66
-6.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94COP 2,908
$0.91MX$15.43
3.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.56COP 7,948
$3.21MX$54.2
-20.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71COP 11.5K
$7.07MX$120
-47.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48COP 4,589
$1.68MX$28.35
-11.90%
White Bread(500g)
$2.40COP 7,438
$2.15MX$36.36
11.63%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.59COP 4,937
$1.77MX$30.00
-10.17%
Eggs
$2.95COP 9,156
$2.82MX$47.60
4.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.17COP 22.3K
$9.20MX$156
-22.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.47COP 29.4K
$9.23MX$156
2.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.95COP 40.2K
$12.64MX$214
2.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.47COP 10.8K
$2.95MX$49.90
17.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,292
$1.58MX$26.70
-12.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.71COP 5,303
$2.22MX$37.58
-22.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.84COP 5,701
$2.36MX$39.96
-22.03%
Potato(1kg)
$1.64COP 5,080
$1.99MX$33.70
-17.59%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49COP 4,626
$1.98MX$33.47
-24.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.21COP 3,752
$1.24MX$20.97
-2.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20COP 3,727
$1.21MX$20.48
-0.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23COP 13.1K
$4.60MX$77.8
-8.04%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.60COP 39.1K
$10.52MX$178
19.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43COP 4,433
$1.69MX$28.60
-15.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73COP 8,467
$2.77MX$46.91
-1.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.15COP 3,555
$0.60MX$10.19
91.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$29.70MX$502
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.63COP 5,068
$5.24MX$88.5
-68.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.02COP 6,287
$3.65MX$61.7
-44.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.90COP 24.5K
$5.78MX$97.8
36.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31COP 4,075
$1.54MX$26.01
-14.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9KCOP 80.3M
$22.8KMX$385.5K
13.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.1KCOP 112.0M
$25.8KMX$436.5K
39.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$141COP 437.7K
$90.7MX$1,533
55.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.69COP 45.6K
$25.19MX$426
-41.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.50COP 104.0K
$31.75MX$537
5.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.35COP 109.7K
$68.8MX$1,163
-48.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.37MX$497
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.17COP 22.3K
$4.86MX$82.2
47.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$700COP 2.2M
$226MX$3,816
210.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,296COP 22.7M
$4,194MX$70.9K
73.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.4COP 262.1K
$47.38MX$801
78.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.7COP 188.5K
$43.45MX$735
39.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$136COP 422.2K
$80.2MX$1,356
69.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3COP 280.5K
$91.4MX$1,545
-1.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$782COP 2.4M
$1,086MX$18.4K
-27.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515COP 1.6M
$409MX$6,910
26.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,002COP 3.1M
$1,972MX$33.3K
-49.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$993COP 3.1M
$1,281MX$21.7K
-22.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,039COP 6.3M
$4,046MX$68.4K
-49.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,822COP 5.7M
$6,704MX$113.4K
-72.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$773MX$13.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.58
11.45
1.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Envigado: September 5, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $782 in Envigado and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Envigado vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $278 per month, with Envigado 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
Envigado vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Envigado or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Envigado. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Envigado and in Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $1,980 in Envigado and $1,958 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Envigado compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $782 in Envigado versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Envigado and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $700 in Envigado versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Envigado and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $42.00 in Envigado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Envigado or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,320 in Envigado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Envigado. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Envigado or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Envigado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.