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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medellin is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.99 MX$209

-48.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$41.78 MX$728

-21.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.75 MX$187

-31.72%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$3.50 MX$60.9

-50.86%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.45 MX$25.22

-27.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.88 MX$15.41

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.95 MX$51.3

-42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.51 MX$78.6

-29.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.43 MX$24.94

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.84 MX$31.99

-29.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.57 MX$27.31

-10.83%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.51 MX$43.74

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.28 MX$144

-46.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$8.43 MX$147

-30.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.68 MX$186

-19.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.61 MX$45.43

-12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.44 MX$25.04

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.96 MX$34.16

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.09 MX$36.47

-35.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.85 MX$32.24

-38.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.17 MX$37.74

-47.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.03 MX$17.96

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.07 MX$18.70

-14.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.10 MX$71.4

-42.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.17 MX$177

21.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.68 MX$29.17

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.53 MX$43.98

-1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.51 MX$8.87

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$26.04 MX$453

55.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.23 MX$56.3

-56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.41 MX$41.88

-20.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.23 MX$56.2

137.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.32 MX$23.00

-25.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-39.29%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

12.53%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$82.0 MX$1,428

-1.46%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.95 MX$400

-56.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$30.11 MX$524

-19.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$52.0 MX$905

-51.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$18.53 MX$323

3.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.98 MX$86.6

-20.08%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$197 MX$3,438

54.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,336 MX$92.9K

13.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$35.60 MX$620

63.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$40.33 MX$702

-20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$78.8 MX$1,371

27.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$88.9 MX$1,549

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$947 MX$16.5K

-49.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$474 MX$8,254

-20.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-39.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-20.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-78.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$654 MX$11.4K

-5.67%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $947 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 6% 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: $193 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 22%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,884 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,256 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 $1,031, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.