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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,491 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,303 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,115 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 15% cheaper than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Barranquilla is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.61 COP 26.9K

34.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$65.0 COP 202.9K

-27.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.70 COP 39.6K

-6.46%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.92 COP 9,119

36.30%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.43 COP 4,475

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.25 COP 3,905

-34.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.07 COP 12.7K

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.92 COP 24.7K

-14.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.95 COP 2,958

76.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.27 COP 3,975

73.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.59 COP 4,947

7.55%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.16 COP 6,745

26.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.22 COP 16.3K

83.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$17.73 COP 55.3K

-49.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.01 COP 21.9K

82.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.29 COP 7,157

26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.02 COP 3,178

47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.61 COP 1,907

252.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.98 COP 6,180

14.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.27 COP 3,962

55.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.93 COP 2,909

113.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.26 COP 3,945

-2.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.95 COP 2,971

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.19 COP 16.2K

-12.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.10 COP 40.9K

-20.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.65 COP 5,136

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.72 COP 14.7K

-38.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.17 COP 3,664

-48.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.47 COP 10.8K

55.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.27 COP 10.2K

14.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$16.40 COP 51.2K

-64.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.31 COP 4,081

17.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.0K COP 71.7M

-1.85%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$30.3K COP 94.6M

-14.01%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$155 COP 485.1K

-41.22%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$14.79 COP 46.2K

70.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$33.21 COP 103.6K

-5.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$35.41 COP 110.5K

89.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.88 COP 15.2K

-0.41%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$317 COP 989.4K

-29.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,827 COP 15.1M

-12.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$118 COP 367.3K

-59.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$47.53 COP 148.3K

-6.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$195 COP 608.5K

-58.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$263 COP 821.0K

-64.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$808 COP 2.5M

31.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$513 COP 1.6M

-23.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$846 COP 2.6M

154.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$913 COP 2.9M

39.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,923 COP 6.0M

108.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$660 COP 2.1M

885.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$526 COP 1.6M

44.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $808 in Barranquilla. 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 44% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $65.0 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $258 in Barranquilla – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Barranquilla costs about 18% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,237 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,491 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $317 in Barranquilla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Barranquilla at $1,491. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $1,491 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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