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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medellin is about 22% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$11.73 MX$203

-48.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$41.62 MX$719

-21.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$10.64 MX$184

-33.36%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$3.52 MX$60.8

-51.42%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$1.51 MX$26.09

-27.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.97 MX$16.82

-19.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.95 MX$51.0

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.45 MX$77.0

-31.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.38 MX$23.90

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.89 MX$32.69

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.64 MX$28.29

-15.85%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.51 MX$43.30

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.34 MX$144

-47.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$8.34 MX$144

-32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$10.73 MX$185

-17.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.60 MX$45.00

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.46 MX$25.18

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.90 MX$32.84

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.08 MX$35.88

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.78 MX$30.68

-35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$2.19 MX$37.76

-47.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.04 MX$17.97

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$1.08 MX$18.60

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$4.08 MX$70.5

-44.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.32 MX$178

3.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.71 MX$29.59

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$2.58 MX$44.50

-4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.51 MX$8.81

68.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$26.46 MX$457

56.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$3.26 MX$56.4

-54.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$2.49 MX$43.05

-21.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$3.25 MX$56.1

138.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.31 MX$22.59

-27.48%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-40.12%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$23.4K MX$404.9K

13.04%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$82.9 MX$1,432

-0.75%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$22.22 MX$384

-57.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$29.34 MX$507

-17.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$51.6 MX$892

-49.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$18.32 MX$317

3.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.07 MX$87.5

-22.49%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$201 MX$3,470

54.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

14.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$36.92 MX$638

58.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$39.79 MX$688

-18.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$78.5 MX$1,356

30.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$87.1 MX$1,505

24.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$973 MX$16.8K

-51.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$468 MX$8,082

-19.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-48.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-40.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-29.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-81.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$664 MX$11.5K

-22.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.42

17.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $249 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.