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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,070 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,619 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,168 in Cartagena, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cartagena 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.89 COP 20.5K

101.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$46.71 COP 163.0K

-8.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.43 COP 32.9K

12.94%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.62 COP 5,658

112.96%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.82 COP 2,855

82.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.66 COP 2,309

43.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.25 COP 4,347

142.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.88 COP 10.1K

60.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.15 COP 4,020

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.92 COP 6,695

-3.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.38 COP 4,818

16.67%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.10 COP 7,317

23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.73 COP 23.5K

22.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.13 COP 21.4K

36.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.82 COP 27.3K

36.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.22 COP 11.2K

-18.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.93 COP 6,729

-22.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.44 COP 5,011

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.65 COP 5,757

26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.54 COP 5,378

20.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.06 COP 3,716

113.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.00 COP 3,489

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.64 COP 2,224

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.28 COP 7,973

82.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$18.45 COP 64.4K

-43.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.94 COP 3,272

82.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$0.97 COP 3,392

169.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.03 COP 3,583

-47.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$28.09 COP 98.0K

-4.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.46 COP 8,570

27.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.44 COP 8,521

2.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.73 COP 16.5K

-33.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.02 COP 3,552

24.51%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$21.4K COP 74.8M

41.76%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$23.6K COP 82.3M

-0.08%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$139 COP 486.8K

-40.49%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$10.98 COP 38.3K

106.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$25.01 COP 87.3K

17.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$34.52 COP 120.5K

47.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$8.50 COP 29.7K

115.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.85 COP 9,936

72.98%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$139 COP 485.5K

41.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,857 COP 20.4M

-9.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$47.52 COP 165.9K

-22.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$38.12 COP 133.0K

4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$126 COP 440.8K

-36.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$114 COP 396.4K

-21.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$725 COP 2.5M

31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$334 COP 1.2M

42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,271 COP 4.4M

29.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$466 COP 1.6M

162.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,075 COP 10.7M

27.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$842 COP 2.9M

666.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$410 COP 1.4M

62.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $725 in Cartagena. 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 63% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $223 in Cartagena – so Cartagena 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 Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Cartagena, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,605 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $139 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Cartagena 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. Cartagena costs $1,070 versus $1,271 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 Cartagena. 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.