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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,307 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,084 in Buenaventura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,861 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than Buenaventura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Buenaventura 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.63 COP 20.7K

74.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$44.33 COP 138.3K

6.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.27 COP 32.0K

15.68%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.71 COP 8,444

46.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.40 COP 4,367

2.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.01 COP 3,160

-18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.96 COP 9,250

7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.38 COP 10.5K

100.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.52 COP 4,747

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.71 COP 8,445

-18.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.52 COP 4,734

12.50%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.21 COP 10.0K

-14.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.90 COP 27.8K

7.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.28 COP 29.0K

-2.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.72 COP 36.6K

9.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.84 COP 12.0K

-24.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.35 COP 4,219

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.74 COP 5,433

23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.01 COP 6,274

12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.53 COP 4,788

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.65 COP 5,142

20.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.12 COP 3,481

9.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.19 COP 3,714

0.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.77 COP 14.9K

-4.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$14.38 COP 44.9K

-27.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.49 COP 4,649

8.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.73 COP 8,516

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.09 COP 3,393

-44.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.37 COP 4,273

293.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.88 COP 5,876

98.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$9.36 COP 29.2K

-38.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.54 COP 4,807

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$29.3K COP 91.6M

-23.15%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$37.9K COP 118.3M

-31.29%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$125 COP 390.7K

-27.02%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$14.31 COP 44.6K

76.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$30.98 COP 96.7K

0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$34.48 COP 107.6K

94.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$6.18 COP 19.3K

-21.36%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$549 COP 1.7M

-59.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,589 COP 20.6M

-35.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$97.6 COP 304.6K

-51.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$54.9 COP 171.4K

-19.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$132 COP 412.2K

-39.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$113 COP 351.5K

-17.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$781 COP 2.4M

36.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$530 COP 1.7M

-26.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,164 COP 3.6M

84.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$880 COP 2.7M

44.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,227 COP 7.0M

79.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,478 COP 4.6M

339.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.58

-1.12%

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 Buenaventura: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $781 in Buenaventura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Buenaventura. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $282 in Buenaventura – so Playa del Carmen 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 Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,307 in Buenaventura – roughly 3% apart. Buenaventura costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,961 in Buenaventura. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $44.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Buenaventura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Buenaventura at $1,307. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenaventura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,307 in Buenaventura. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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