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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,087 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,694 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,301 in Cali.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 16% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.59 COP 23.7K

52.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$38.62 COP 120.5K

21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.46 COP 26.4K

40.43%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.65 COP 5,153

141.21%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.27 COP 3,971

12.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.85 COP 2,638

-3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.28 COP 10.2K

-2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.85 COP 12.0K

76.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.66 COP 5,172

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.95 COP 6,077

12.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.52 COP 4,744

12.50%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.00 COP 9,375

-8.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.48 COP 20.2K

47.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.22 COP 22.5K

24.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.39 COP 32.4K

23.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.67 COP 11.4K

-21.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.37 COP 4,284

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.83 COP 5,713

17.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.77 COP 5,538

27.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.46 COP 4,556

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.54 COP 4,801

29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.17 COP 3,658

5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.05 COP 3,267

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.79 COP 11.8K

20.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.24 COP 41.3K

-21.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.47 COP 4,598

10.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.51 COP 7,833

14.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.15 COP 3,603

-47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$30.69 COP 95.8K

-6.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.88 COP 2,742

512.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.31 COP 4,093

17.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$36.1K COP 112.7M

-27.87%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$114 COP 357.1K

-20.14%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$13.68 COP 42.7K

84.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$31.26 COP 97.5K

-0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$29.82 COP 93.1K

125.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.36 COP 26.1K

-41.87%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$79.7 COP 248.6K

-40.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$55.1 COP 171.9K

-19.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$130 COP 405.4K

-38.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$114 COP 357.1K

-19.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$666 COP 2.1M

59.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$306 COP 955.3K

27.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,627 COP 5.1M

32.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$509 COP 1.6M

149.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$598 COP 1.9M

26.68%

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 Cali: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $666 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Cali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $247 per month, with Cali cheaper across the board.

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 Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $666 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,087 in Cali versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.