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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $830 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,258 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,686 in Cartago, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 55% more than Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cartago are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Cartago 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.69 COP 13.3K

223.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$28.64 COP 103.4K

49.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.16 COP 25.9K

47.91%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.63 COP 5,867

122.09%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.94 COP 3,398

56.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.56 COP 2,026

67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.01 COP 3,663

205.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.51 COP 9,070

77.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.26 COP 4,549

13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.51 COP 5,457

24.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.24 COP 4,481

31.45%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.58 COP 9,313

2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.15 COP 15.0K

97.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.50 COP 19.9K

50.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.76 COP 28.0K

43.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.50 COP 9,022

6.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.97 COP 3,503

54.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.15 COP 4,149

73.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.25 COP 4,518

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.88 COP 3,162

103.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.11 COP 4,010

96.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.72 COP 2,597

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.68 COP 2,459

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.84 COP 10.3K

39.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.44 COP 41.3K

-10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.08 COP 3,885

60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.92 COP 6,930

30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.73 COP 2,649

-28.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.35 COP 109.6K

-11.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.59 COP 5,736

97.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.95 COP 7,029

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$9.46 COP 34.2K

-67.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.95 COP 3,422

33.68%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.2K COP 80.2M

38.94%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$29.9K COP 107.8M

-21.90%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$81.2 COP 293.0K

1.03%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.09 COP 32.8K

146.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$24.36 COP 87.9K

21.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.12 COP 83.5K

124.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.70 COP 17.0K

5.74%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$222 COP 801.6K

-10.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,904 COP 21.3M

-10.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$63.2 COP 228.0K

-42.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$44.18 COP 159.5K

-9.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$78.6 COP 283.6K

1.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$89.9 COP 324.7K

-1.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$288 COP 1.0M

234.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$236 COP 851.2K

97.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$524 COP 1.9M

204.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$430 COP 1.6M

180.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,776 COP 6.4M

121.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,493 COP 5.4M

331.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$327 COP 1.2M

120.00%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Cartago: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $288 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 120% 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 $29.00 in Cartago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $183 – 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 55%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,245 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $830 in Cartago. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% 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 $830, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.