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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $864 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,339 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,814 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Barranquilla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.81 COP 17.4K

148.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$31.59 COP 114.0K

35.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.29 COP 26.3K

45.27%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.77 COP 6,391

104.52%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.87 COP 3,137

68.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.59 COP 2,137

59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.29 COP 4,666

139.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.00 COP 7,208

123.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.93 COP 3,373

53.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.33 COP 4,789

41.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.07 COP 3,861

52.34%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.00 COP 7,204

32.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.57 COP 16.5K

79.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.23 COP 18.9K

58.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.17 COP 25.9K

54.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.80 COP 10.1K

-5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.31 COP 4,728

14.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.51 COP 5,436

31.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.84 COP 3,017

147.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.97 COP 3,490

84.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.44 COP 5,202

51.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.82 COP 2,963

31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.63 COP 2,268

65.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.87 COP 10.4K

38.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.26 COP 37.1K

-0.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.86 COP 3,089

101.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.33 COP 4,800

87.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.72 COP 2,594

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$32.88 COP 118.7K

-17.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.97 COP 7,108

59.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.83 COP 10.2K

-15.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.88 COP 17.6K

-36.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.97 COP 3,519

30.93%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$15.1K COP 54.5M

104.53%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.6K COP 81.6M

3.20%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$138 COP 496.8K

-40.40%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.08 COP 29.2K

177.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$21.93 COP 79.2K

35.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$21.32 COP 77.0K

143.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$14.65 COP 52.9K

27.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.26 COP 15.4K

16.67%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$61.3 COP 221.2K

222.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,815 COP 6.6M

190.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$62.6 COP 226.1K

-41.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$53.3 COP 192.4K

-24.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$78.9 COP 284.7K

1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$72.5 COP 261.7K

22.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$235 COP 848.1K

310.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$221 COP 797.4K

110.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$543 COP 2.0M

194.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$467 COP 1.7M

158.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,640 COP 5.9M

140.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$628 COP 2.3M

926.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$506 COP 1.8M

42.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $235 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 42% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $172 – making Barranquilla 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,296 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barranquilla, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $32.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $864 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $864 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Barranquilla. 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.