Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Columbia, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Columbia, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,208 in Columbia, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,413 in Columbia, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,618 in Columbia, SC.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 41% less than in Columbia, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Columbia, SC is 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$19.63 $19.63

-39.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$60.9 $60.9

-22.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$12.19 $12.19

-3.61%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.28 $5.28

-21.97%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.70 $2.70

-48.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.21 $2.21

-58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$5.41 $5.41

-40.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$6.36 $6.36

11.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.83 $0.83

102.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.47 $2.47

-12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$4.53 $4.53

-60.93%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.18 $4.18

-32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$10.11 $10.11

-9.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$11.09 $11.09

-16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$15.74 $15.74

-19.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$5.15 $5.15

-42.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.65 $1.65

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$6.44 $6.44

-65.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$6.04 $6.04

-60.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$3.14 $3.14

-36.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$4.20 $4.20

-52.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.93 $1.93

-35.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.93 $1.93

-37.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$8.73 $8.73

-47.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$16.14 $16.14

-34.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.89 $1.89

-10.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.78 $2.78

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.02 $2.02

-70.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$39.73 $39.73

-25.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.98 $1.98

164.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.53 $1.53

138.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$18.14 $18.14

-68.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.93 $0.93

65.59%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$35.3K $35.3K

-35.34%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

2.94%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$270 $270

-66.37%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$59.2 $59.2

-57.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$65.3 $65.3

-51.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$37.43 $37.43

83.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$17.72 $17.72

65.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$14.96 $14.96

-67.51%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$1,127 $1,127

-79.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$22.1K $22.1K

-81.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$52.6 $52.6

-9.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$40.11 $40.11

8.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$82.1 $82.1

-2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$113 $113

-18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,262 $1,262

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$841 $841

-51.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,173 $2,173

-9.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,749 $1,749

-26.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,084 $2,084

94.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,672 $1,672

301.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$3,217 $3,217

-75.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.1

87.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Columbia, SC: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $1,262 in Columbia, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, SC pays 316% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $61.0 in Columbia, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $388 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Columbia, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 316% lower in Columbia, SC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,262 in Columbia, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Columbia, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $61.0 in Columbia, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,208 in Columbia, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Columbia, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Columbia, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Columbia, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.