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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$8.03 COP 25.1K

45.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-3.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.77 COP 30.5K

19.24%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$2.91 COP 9,095

40.55%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$1.94 COP 6,074

-29.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$1.52 COP 4,754

-45.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$3.09 COP 9,663

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$5.74 COP 17.9K

20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$1.36 COP 4,262

27.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$2.39 COP 7,460

-5.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$1.70 COP 5,314

4.12%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$2.87 COP 8,967

-4.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-7.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-17.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-14.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-26.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.57 COP 4,911

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$2.13 COP 6,642

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$2.21 COP 6,917

2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$2.05 COP 6,396

-2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$1.50 COP 4,700

37.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$1.19 COP 3,718

-0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.16 COP 3,619

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$3.90 COP 12.2K

18.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$1.58 COP 4,948

2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$2.83 COP 8,836

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$1.17 COP 3,650

-51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-61.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$1.28 COP 4,014

325.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$2.09 COP 6,537

77.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-30.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.30 COP 4,056

19.23%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

-19.27%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-26.92%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$176 COP 550.1K

-49.38%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$13.37 COP 41.8K

87.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$29.89 COP 93.4K

5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$44.76 COP 139.8K

51.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$17.06 COP 53.3K

69.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-18.55%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$793 COP 2.5M

-71.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-53.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-44.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-23.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$136 COP 425.9K

-39.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$103 COP 322.2K

-10.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$680 COP 2.1M

-40.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-3.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

11.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-2.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

289.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$665 COP 2.1M

12.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.94

4.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,060 in Medellin. 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $303 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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