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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $703 in Cucuta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,114 in Cucuta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,524 in Cucuta.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 84% more expensive than Cucuta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cucuta 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.69 COP 13.2K

217.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$23.71 COP 84.7K

75.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.47 COP 26.7K

42.44%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$0.99 COP 3,526

255.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.89 COP 3,173

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 COP 1,230

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.15 COP 4,110

156.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.22 COP 7,913

100.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.86 COP 3,085

60.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.92 COP 3,301

105.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.94 COP 3,368

74.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.21 COP 7,899

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.30 COP 18.9K

57.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.26 COP 18.8K

58.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.33 COP 26.2K

46.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.42 COP 8,652

7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.75 COP 2,672

94.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.75 COP 2,692

153.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.63 COP 2,254

230.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.75 COP 2,686

137.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.59 COP 2,093

271.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.63 COP 2,238

65.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.72 COP 2,566

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.39 COP 8,530

70.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$10.81 COP 38.6K

-4.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.09 COP 3,900

56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.79 COP 6,398

44.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.70 COP 2,483

-27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$29.51 COP 105.4K

-10.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.43 COP 5,103

127.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.51 COP 5,390

64.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.09 COP 18.2K

-36.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.99 COP 3,522

32.32%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$18.2K COP 65.0M

66.47%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.9K COP 92.4M

-9.47%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$86.4 COP 308.5K

-4.07%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.04 COP 32.3K

145.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$19.60 COP 70.0K

49.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.64 COP 84.4K

118.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$8.79 COP 31.4K

108.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.87 COP 13.8K

31.01%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$331 COP 1.2M

-39.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,202 COP 15.0M

24.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.2 COP 211.5K

-37.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$33.31 COP 118.9K

19.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$81.8 COP 292.0K

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$71.7 COP 256.0K

21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$252 COP 900.5K

285.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$171 COP 610.6K

173.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$586 COP 2.1M

179.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$357 COP 1.3M

242.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,554 COP 5.5M

153.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,144 COP 4.1M

468.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$454 COP 1.6M

46.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.18

-13.35%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Cucuta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $252 in Cucuta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 46% 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 $24.00 in Cucuta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $163 per month, with Cucuta 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 Cucuta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cucuta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 46% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 in Cucuta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cucuta – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Cucuta versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cucuta but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Cucuta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Cucuta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.