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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $833 in Cartago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,287 in Cartago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,740 in Cartago, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 52% 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 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.67 COP 12.8K

223.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$28.98 COP 101.1K

48.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.14 COP 24.9K

49.16%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.65 COP 5,749

109.09%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.87 COP 3,031

72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.61 COP 2,113

55.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.06 COP 3,696

185.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.59 COP 9,026

77.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.23 COP 4,305

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.53 COP 5,327

20.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.22 COP 4,247

31.97%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.58 COP 9,011

0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.22 COP 14.7K

95.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.53 COP 19.3K

51.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.58 COP 26.5K

40.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.40 COP 8,368

9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.90 COP 3,130

65.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.20 COP 4,189

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.32 COP 4,604

58.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.83 COP 2,896

124.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.07 COP 3,726

111.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.76 COP 2,643

39.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.70 COP 2,455

55.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.81 COP 9,823

47.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$11.80 COP 41.2K

-11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.08 COP 3,768

59.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.95 COP 6,796

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.67 COP 2,322

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$30.31 COP 105.8K

-11.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.55 COP 5,403

101.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.99 COP 6,936

26.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$9.47 COP 33.0K

-66.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.98 COP 3,406

29.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$21.7K COP 75.7M

39.98%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$29.6K COP 103.5M

-20.52%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$83.4 COP 290.9K

-0.42%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.71 COP 30.4K

160.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$24.88 COP 86.8K

18.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.13 COP 80.7K

120.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.78 COP 16.7K

3.14%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$228 COP 796.3K

-13.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,939 COP 20.7M

-11.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$64.1 COP 223.8K

-42.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$43.98 COP 153.5K

-9.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$77.7 COP 271.3K

2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$90.0 COP 314.0K

-0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$279 COP 973.3K

242.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$234 COP 817.8K

103.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$539 COP 1.9M

205.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$434 COP 1.5M

182.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,602 COP 5.6M

144.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,302 COP 4.5M

396.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$324 COP 1.1M

106.03%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $279 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 106% 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: $250 vs $184 – 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 52%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,250 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $833 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 $833, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.