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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $735 in Duitama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,111 in Duitama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,488 in Duitama.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 73% more expensive than Duitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Duitama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.19 COP 11.1K

272.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$19.24 COP 67.1K

122.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.92 COP 24.2K

53.90%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.34 COP 4,682

157.46%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.77 COP 2,675

94.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.58 COP 2,029

63.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.38 COP 4,810

119.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.12 COP 7,390

117.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.17 COP 4,078

17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.10 COP 3,848

68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.24 COP 4,320

29.84%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.26 COP 7,877

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.22 COP 14.7K

95.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.83 COP 20.3K

43.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.22 COP 25.2K

47.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.61 COP 9,108

0.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.17 COP 4,083

27.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.90 COP 3,136

113.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.85 COP 2,978

145.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.23 COP 4,308

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.97 COP 3,394

132.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.95 COP 3,328

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.80 COP 2,787

36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.68 COP 5,855

147.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.59 COP 30.0K

20.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.85 COP 2,959

102.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.48 COP 5,160

76.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.68 COP 2,389

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$30.12 COP 105.1K

-10.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.69 COP 5,912

85.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.61 COP 5,633

55.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.22 COP 21.7K

-49.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.95 COP 3,312

33.68%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.7K COP 68.9M

53.88%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.3K COP 98.7M

-16.67%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$73.0 COP 254.7K

13.75%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.92 COP 31.1K

154.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$12.00 COP 41.9K

145.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$23.55 COP 82.2K

116.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.36 COP 8,238

108.90%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$243 COP 847.6K

-18.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,488 COP 8.7M

112.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$64.1 COP 223.8K

-42.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$32.84 COP 114.6K

21.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$84.5 COP 295.0K

-5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$38.10 COP 133.0K

134.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$281 COP 982.0K

239.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$240 COP 838.7K

98.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$705 COP 2.5M

133.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$383 COP 1.3M

219.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,744 COP 6.1M

124.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,333 COP 4.7M

384.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Duitama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $281 in Duitama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $19.00 in Duitama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $172 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 73% 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 $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,103 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $281 in Duitama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $735 in Duitama – a 73% 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 $735 in Duitama versus $1,271 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 $735 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 73% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.