Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Envigado and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,406 in Envigado, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Envigado, Colombia
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Envigado
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,406
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Envigado and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Envigado and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,406 in Envigado versus $1,202 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Envigado $1,406
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Envigado versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Envigado $2,123
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,841 in Envigado versus $2,962 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Envigado $2,841
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Living in Envigado is roughly 17% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Envigado is 4% above, Playa del Carmen is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.98 COP 25.8K
$10.67 MX$200
-25.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.17 COP 149.1K
$43.80 MX$823
5.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.27 COP 30.0K
$11.79 MX$221
-21.37%
Cappuccino
$2.59 COP 8,350
$3.79 MX$71.1
-31.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,449
$1.30 MX$24.36
6.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 COP 3,258
$0.83 MX$15.65
21.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.08 COP 9,943
$3.15 MX$59.1
-2.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 COP 12.2K
$4.93 MX$92.7
-23.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 COP 4,410
$1.41 MX$26.46
-2.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 COP 7,419
$2.20 MX$41.23
4.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 COP 5,084
$1.47 MX$27.66
6.80%
Eggs
$3.10 COP 10.0K
$2.50 MX$46.89
24.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.21 COP 23.3K
$7.29 MX$137
-1.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.76 COP 31.5K
$7.95 MX$149
22.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.94 COP 45.0K
$12.86 MX$242
8.40%
Apples (1kg)
$3.71 COP 12.0K
$2.90 MX$54.4
27.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 COP 4,005
$1.38 MX$25.98
-10.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.14 COP 6,904
$2.49 MX$46.78
-14.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,477
$2.03 MX$38.12
-16.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$2.02 MX$38.03
-23.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 COP 4,386
$1.90 MX$35.74
-28.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 COP 3,903
$1.14 MX$21.49
6.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 COP 3,845
$1.24 MX$23.27
-4.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 COP 14.3K
$4.27 MX$80.2
3.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.96 COP 48.3K
$9.81 MX$184
52.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 COP 4,631
$1.59 MX$29.78
-10.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 COP 8,731
$2.75 MX$51.6
-1.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 COP 3,620
$0.51 MX$9.67
119.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 242.2K
$27.39 MX$514
173.75%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,835
$4.76 MX$89.4
-61.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.34 COP 7,558
$3.25 MX$61.0
-28.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.72 COP 28.2K
$5.39 MX$101
61.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 COP 4,268
$1.53 MX$28.70
-13.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K COP 109.6M
$21.2K MX$398.4K
59.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.0M
$23.3K MX$436.9K
47.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 COP 466.1K
$83.5 MX$1,568
72.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$23.19 MX$435
-41.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.54 COP 89.0K
$27.61 MX$519
-0.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.18 COP 113.6K
$56.4 MX$1,060
-37.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$529
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.11 COP 23.0K
$5.00 MX$93.9
42.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$522 COP 1.7M
$207 MX$3,889
151.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K COP 38.5M
$5,231 MX$98.2K
127.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.0 COP 281.0K
$43.45 MX$816
100.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.4 COP 182.2K
$42.54 MX$799
32.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$156 COP 503.9K
$72.8 MX$1,367
114.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.0 COP 277.8K
$88.4 MX$1,660
-2.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$733 COP 2.4M
$995 MX$18.7K
-26.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 COP 1.5M
$382 MX$7,181
22.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 COP 4.9M
$1,674 MX$31.4K
-9.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$792 COP 2.6M
$1,081 MX$20.3K
-26.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,490 COP 8.0M
$3,909 MX$73.4K
-36.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,879 COP 6.1M
$6,138 MX$115.3K
-69.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Envigado
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12
11.45
4.80%

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

Last update for Envigado: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Envigado
$470
Playa del Carmen
$382 18.6% $87
Groceries & Markets
Envigado
$280
Playa del Carmen
$257 7.9% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Envigado
$185
Playa del Carmen
$134 27.6% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Envigado
$173
Playa del Carmen
$111 35.9% $62
Eating Out
Envigado
$155
Playa del Carmen
$200 29.1% $45
Getting Around
Envigado
$93
Playa del Carmen
$50 45.7% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Envigado
$49
Playa del Carmen
$66 34.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Envigado and $995 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Envigado vs $44 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $280 vs $257 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Envigado
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
04:08 4:08 AM
04:08 4:08 AM
Same time as Envigado
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
204,399
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,628 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.09 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Envigado Playa del Carmen 2,030 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Envigado
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 14% 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 $2,108 in Envigado and $1,804 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: $733 in Envigado versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Envigado or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Envigado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
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 $44 versus $46 in Envigado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Envigado or Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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