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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $876 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,341 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,805 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Barranquilla 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.79 COP 16.4K

144.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$31.12 COP 106.7K

34.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.10 COP 24.3K

46.62%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.71 COP 5,873

111.11%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.92 COP 3,157

58.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.60 COP 2,040

61.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.35 COP 4,628

116.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.93 COP 6,614

139.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.95 COP 3,242

50.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.33 COP 4,547

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.02 COP 3,513

53.92%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.11 COP 7,230

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$4.46 COP 15.3K

89.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.27 COP 18.0K

62.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.36 COP 25.2K

49.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.84 COP 9,721

-4.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.33 COP 4,565

13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.56 COP 5,359

22.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.80 COP 2,735

171.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.95 COP 3,244

96.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.49 COP 5,096

49.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.87 COP 2,982

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.58 COP 1,988

84.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.72 COP 9,316

52.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$10.48 COP 35.9K

-1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$0.85 COP 2,915

97.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.27 COP 4,361

99.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.77 COP 2,641

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$32.82 COP 112.5K

-19.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.98 COP 6,802

61.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$2.99 COP 10.2K

-17.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$4.93 COP 16.9K

-35.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.94 COP 3,230

40.43%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$15.2K COP 52.2M

98.12%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$22.4K COP 76.8M

4.42%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$139 COP 475.8K

-41.39%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$7.82 COP 26.8K

186.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$21.52 COP 73.8K

39.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$21.02 COP 72.0K

145.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$14.41 COP 49.4K

27.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$4.21 COP 14.4K

22.57%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$60.2 COP 206.2K

235.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$1,832 COP 6.3M

189.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$62.7 COP 215.0K

-43.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$52.3 COP 179.1K

-22.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$81.0 COP 277.6K

-2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$71.7 COP 245.8K

21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$242 COP 829.4K

292.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$219 COP 752.2K

117.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$531 COP 1.8M

205.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$466 COP 1.6M

162.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,728 COP 5.9M

132.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$655 COP 2.2M

887.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$523 COP 1.8M

28.73%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $242 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 29% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $173 – 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 48% 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,314 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $31.00 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $876 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 $876, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $876 versus $1,294 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.