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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $755 in Duitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,127 in Duitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,500 in Duitama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 70% more expensive than Duitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Duitama 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.18 COP 11.5K

275.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$19.73 COP 71.2K

116.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.59 COP 23.8K

60.70%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.29 COP 4,665

180.62%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.70 COP 2,541

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.56 COP 2,004

67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.42 COP 5,112

117.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.05 COP 7,383

117.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.17 COP 4,239

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.11 COP 3,994

69.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.20 COP 4,323

35.83%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.22 COP 7,998

18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.09 COP 14.8K

100.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.87 COP 21.2K

41.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.47 COP 27.0K

48.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.50 COP 9,009

6.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.22 COP 4,417

22.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.84 COP 3,041

136.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.86 COP 3,113

141.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.21 COP 4,361

47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.02 COP 3,690

113.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.92 COP 3,308

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.73 COP 2,653

42.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.67 COP 6,030

137.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.22 COP 29.7K

24.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.84 COP 3,022

105.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.51 COP 5,439

65.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.67 COP 2,419

-22.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.20 COP 109.0K

-10.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.73 COP 6,257

81.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.54 COP 5,568

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.98 COP 21.6K

-48.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.94 COP 3,387

35.11%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.4K COP 70.0M

59.36%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.5K COP 99.2M

-15.18%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$72.2 COP 260.5K

13.67%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.90 COP 32.1K

152.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$11.99 COP 43.3K

147.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.68 COP 85.5K

119.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.40 COP 8,664

107.08%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$240 COP 867.3K

-17.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,469 COP 8.9M

113.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$66.0 COP 238.1K

-44.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$32.22 COP 116.3K

24.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$84.2 COP 304.1K

-5.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$38.15 COP 137.7K

132.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$277 COP 999.8K

247.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$241 COP 870.9K

92.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$711 COP 2.6M

124.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$388 COP 1.4M

211.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,858 COP 6.7M

112.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,296 COP 4.7M

397.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.25

-25.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Duitama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $277 in Duitama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $20.00 in Duitama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $170 per month, with Duitama 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 Duitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duitama wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Duitama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,132 in Duitama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 in Duitama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $755 in Duitama – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Duitama runs roughly 12% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $755 in Duitama versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duitama but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duitama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Duitama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $755 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Duitama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Duitama 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 Duitama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.