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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $839 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,282 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,725 in Cartago, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cartago are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Cartago 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.71 COP 11.7K

215.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$29.46 COP 92.8K

42.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.24 COP 22.8K

45.17%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.65 COP 5,179

117.58%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.87 COP 2,753

73.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.61 COP 1,913

50.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.01 COP 3,193

193.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.47 COP 7,774

78.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.29 COP 4,052

8.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.54 COP 4,847

22.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.21 COP 3,821

28.93%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.47 COP 7,786

5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.13 COP 13.0K

101.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.58 COP 17.6K

49.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.79 COP 24.5K

39.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.45 COP 7,726

10.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.97 COP 3,068

55.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.16 COP 3,650

61.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.27 COP 4,004

72.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.83 COP 2,598

124.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.05 COP 3,315

112.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.71 COP 2,250

50.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.68 COP 2,149

60.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.84 COP 8,949

47.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.78 COP 40.2K

-18.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.12 COP 3,522

48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.91 COP 6,018

36.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.69 COP 2,167

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.38 COP 95.7K

-13.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.59 COP 5,017

93.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.91 COP 6,011

25.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$9.72 COP 30.6K

-67.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.93 COP 2,927

40.86%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$21.7K COP 68.3M

37.50%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.5K COP 93.0M

-21.01%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$81.3 COP 256.0K

-0.02%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$8.61 COP 27.1K

162.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$24.85 COP 78.3K

20.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$23.75 COP 74.8K

122.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.75 COP 15.0K

3.58%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$229 COP 721.5K

-12.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,018 COP 18.9M

-14.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$64.6 COP 203.4K

-44.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$44.43 COP 139.9K

-9.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$77.8 COP 245.0K

2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$89.4 COP 281.3K

-3.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$285 COP 896.6K

243.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$234 COP 736.3K

101.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$529 COP 1.7M

212.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$431 COP 1.4M

179.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,040 COP 6.4M

93.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,273 COP 4.0M

419.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$360 COP 1.1M

87.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.58

-1.38%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cartago: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $285 in Cartago. 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 88% 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 $29.00 in Cartago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $186 – making Cartago 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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,258 in Cartago. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $839 in Cartago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Cartago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cartago, where all-in costs run around $839, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Cartago it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cartago – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cartago. 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.