😐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 Carmen4% lower, Cartago38% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$208
$3.69COP 13.4K
223.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$744
$28.64COP 104.2K
49.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$184
$7.16COP 26.1K
47.91%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.0
$1.63COP 5,911
122.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.54
$0.94COP 3,424
56.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.41
$0.56COP 2,041
67.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$53.8
$1.01COP 3,691
205.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$77.6
$2.51COP 9,137
77.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.80
$1.26COP 4,583
13.49%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.79
$1.51COP 5,498
24.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.34
$1.24COP 4,514
31.45%
Eggs
$2.64MX$45.99
$2.58COP 9,382
2.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$143
$4.15COP 15.1K
97.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$144
$5.50COP 20.0K
50.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$193
$7.76COP 28.2K
43.04%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.14
$2.50COP 9,090
6.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.11
$0.97COP 3,529
54.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.59
$1.15COP 4,180
73.04%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.13
$1.25COP 4,551
66.40%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.11
$0.88COP 3,186
103.41%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$37.87
$1.11COP 4,040
96.40%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.73
$0.72COP 2,616
50.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.04
$0.68COP 2,477
52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.1
$2.84COP 10.3K
39.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$178
$11.44COP 41.6K
-10.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.04
$1.08COP 3,914
60.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.46
$1.92COP 6,982
30.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.02
$0.73COP 2,668
-28.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$469
$30.35COP 110.4K
-11.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$54.7
$1.59COP 5,778
97.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$41.80
$1.95COP 7,081
23.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$53.7
$9.46COP 34.4K
-67.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.16
$0.95COP 3,448
33.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$537.3K
$22.2KCOP 80.8M
38.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$405.7K
$29.9KCOP 108.6M
-21.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$81.2COP 295.2K
1.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$391
$9.09COP 33.1K
146.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$516
$24.36COP 88.6K
21.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$903
$23.12COP 84.1K
124.35%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$325
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$86.5
$4.70COP 17.1K
5.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,442
$222COP 807.6K
-10.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$91.7K
$5,904COP 21.5M
-10.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$632
$63.2COP 229.7K
-42.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$697
$44.18COP 160.7K
-9.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$78.6COP 285.7K
1.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,547
$89.9COP 327.1K
-1.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.8K
$288COP 1.0M
234.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,086
$236COP 857.5K
97.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.8K
$524COP 1.9M
204.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.0K
$430COP 1.6M
180.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$68.6K
$1,776COP 6.5M
121.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.2K
$1,493COP 5.4M
331.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Cartago
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.5K
$327COP 1.2M
120.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
11.58
-1.38%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para 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.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Cartago: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Cartago cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
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.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Cartago?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 13% less in Cartago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Cartago?
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.
Is Playa del Carmen or Cartago more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Cartago?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado