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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $751 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,070 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,389 in Manizales, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% more than Manizales, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Manizales are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Manizales 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.66 COP 12.8K

224.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$17.07 COP 59.6K

151.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.65 COP 26.7K

39.22%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.34 COP 4,692

157.46%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.75 COP 2,607

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.56 COP 1,949

69.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.08 COP 3,765

180.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.16 COP 7,549

113.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.95 COP 3,321

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.47 COP 5,136

25.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.13 COP 3,928

42.48%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.90 COP 6,615

36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.67 COP 16.3K

76.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.00 COP 17.4K

67.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.16 COP 25.0K

48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.11 COP 10.9K

-15.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.00 COP 3,493

49.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.35 COP 4,722

42.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.29 COP 4,499

62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.12 COP 3,906

66.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.17 COP 4,079

93.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.71 COP 2,494

49.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.79 COP 2,755

37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.44 COP 8,516

70.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$9.82 COP 34.3K

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.15 COP 4,000

49.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.94 COP 6,777

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.65 COP 2,260

-16.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$27.57 COP 96.2K

-2.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.19 COP 4,144

163.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.29 COP 4,489

94.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.98 COP 20.9K

-47.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.97 COP 3,372

30.93%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$15.9K COP 55.5M

90.88%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$24.6K COP 86.0M

-4.32%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$58.8 COP 205.1K

41.20%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.28 COP 32.4K

144.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$25.75 COP 89.9K

14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$27.70 COP 96.7K

84.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$19.57 COP 68.3K

-6.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.21 COP 11.2K

53.58%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$239 COP 833.3K

-17.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,430 COP 29.4M

-37.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$37.98 COP 132.6K

-2.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.67 COP 107.0K

30.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$63.5 COP 221.6K

26.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$59.8 COP 208.5K

49.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$263 COP 918.6K

263.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$221 COP 770.5K

116.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$439 COP 1.5M

275.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$296 COP 1.0M

313.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,606 COP 5.6M

143.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,485 COP 5.2M

334.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$753 COP 2.6M

-11.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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 Manizales: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 in Manizales. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Manizales, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $177 – making Manizales the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $751 in Manizales – roughly 69% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,126 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manizales, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $17.00 in Manizales. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manizales, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Manizales it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $751 in Manizales to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Manizales. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.