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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $914 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,483 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,053 in Colima.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 38% more expensive than in Colima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Colima 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$6.48 MX$112

80.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$31.64 MX$547

32.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.89 MX$137

33.21%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.08 MX$35.90

72.60%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.81 MX$13.97

86.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.55 MX$9.45

67.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.71 MX$29.52

73.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.84 MX$49.16

55.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.34 MX$23.21

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.53 MX$43.72

-25.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.36 MX$23.56

14.71%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.28 MX$39.37

14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$5.92 MX$102

40.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.84 MX$136

6.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.52 MX$165

14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.76 MX$47.79

-1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.35 MX$23.32

11.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.51 MX$26.19

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.14 MX$37.02

2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.78 MX$30.76

4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.41 MX$41.71

-7.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.36 MX$23.46

-21.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.08 MX$18.65

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.65 MX$63.1

14.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.79 MX$117

53.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.60 MX$27.65

3.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.95 MX$33.77

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.64 MX$11.08

-15.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$19.40 MX$336

34.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.44 MX$42.23

26.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.61 MX$27.81

49.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$8.31 MX$144

-62.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.34 MX$23.15

-2.24%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$22.2K MX$383.5K

34.49%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.7K MX$374.7K

7.69%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$63.8 MX$1,104

27.38%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$19.25 MX$333

17.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$31.18 MX$540

-3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$34.11 MX$590

55.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$20.92 MX$362

-12.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.47 MX$77.4

10.07%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$143 MX$2,468

40.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,485 MX$43.0K

108.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$47.12 MX$815

-23.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$28.14 MX$487

42.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$86.6 MX$1,499

-7.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$98.4 MX$1,702

-12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$508 MX$8,786

92.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$252 MX$4,364

86.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$326 MX$5,638

406.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$541 MX$9,352

122.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$295 MX$5,111

129.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.07

3.16%

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 Colima: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $508 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 129% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $32.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $231 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

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 Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Colima differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $914 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 129% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $508 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Colima runs roughly 35% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $143 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $914 in Colima versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Colima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.