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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $804 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,223 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,642 in Popayan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% more than Popayan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Popayan 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.82 COP 12.4K

213.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$23.83 COP 77.6K

75.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.29 COP 23.7K

47.46%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.50 COP 4,898

133.33%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.88 COP 2,866

64.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.61 COP 1,977

44.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.17 COP 3,798

152.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.21 COP 7,187

104.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.11 COP 3,602

28.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.29 COP 4,215

42.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.17 COP 3,823

34.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.22 COP 7,224

13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.31 COP 14.0K

92.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.21 COP 17.0K

61.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.16 COP 23.3K

49.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.52 COP 8,197

3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.11 COP 3,622

29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.37 COP 4,449

43.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.91 COP 2,958

129.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.12 COP 3,647

65.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.13 COP 3,684

92.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.81 COP 2,645

27.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.65 COP 2,116

64.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.41 COP 7,859

70.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.06 COP 42.5K

-22.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.12 COP 3,658

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.74 COP 5,659

45.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.71 COP 2,325

-28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$30.45 COP 99.1K

-14.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.47 COP 4,800

119.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.65 COP 5,373

46.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.19 COP 20.1K

-47.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.00 COP 3,254

32.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$17.6K COP 57.4M

68.43%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.7K COP 83.6M

-7.86%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$83.9 COP 273.0K

-2.19%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.26 COP 30.1K

147.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$22.35 COP 72.8K

34.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.29 COP 75.8K

123.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.87 COP 12.6K

28.68%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$241 COP 784.9K

-18.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,914 COP 19.3M

-9.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$59.8 COP 194.6K

-40.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$32.82 COP 106.8K

22.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$84.4 COP 274.7K

-6.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$72.3 COP 235.4K

22.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$281 COP 914.1K

237.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$237 COP 771.0K

100.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$519 COP 1.7M

216.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$430 COP 1.4M

181.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,662 COP 5.4M

144.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,192 COP 3.9M

442.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Popayan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $281 in Popayan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $179 – making Popayan 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,207 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $804 in Popayan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% less in Popayan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $804, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Popayan – 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 Popayan. 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.