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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $851 in Rionegro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,471 in Rionegro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,092 in Rionegro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 49% more than Rionegro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rionegro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rionegro 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$4.35 COP 15.2K

172.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$30.62 COP 106.9K

40.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.07 COP 24.7K

50.64%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.70 COP 5,939

102.94%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.06 COP 3,713

41.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.77 COP 2,694

23.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.66 COP 5,788

82.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.08 COP 10.7K

49.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.85 COP 2,951

62.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.11 COP 3,873

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.40 COP 4,885

15.00%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.26 COP 7,898

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.56 COP 15.9K

81.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.01 COP 7,032

316.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.64 COP 30.1K

23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.65 COP 5,756

59.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.10 COP 3,840

35.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.97 COP 3,374

97.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.79 COP 2,751

164.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.66 COP 2,318

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.12 COP 3,925

101.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.50 COP 1,738

112.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.43 COP 1,497

153.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.91 COP 6,680

117.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.09 COP 21.3K

70.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.16 COP 4,040

48.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.46 COP 8,595

6.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.65 COP 2,274

-16.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$29.57 COP 103.2K

-8.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.48 COP 5,151

111.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.73 COP 6,031

45.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.76 COP 27.1K

-59.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.96 COP 3,346

32.29%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$18.2K COP 63.4M

67.19%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.8K COP 93.4M

-11.98%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$80.9 COP 282.4K

2.58%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.86 COP 34.4K

130.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$24.07 COP 84.0K

22.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$21.83 COP 76.2K

133.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.04 COP 14.1K

22.03%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$311 COP 1.1M

-36.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,935 COP 20.7M

-11.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$60.2 COP 209.9K

-38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$31.91 COP 111.4K

25.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$99.9 COP 348.5K

-19.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$107 COP 372.7K

-16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$384 COP 1.3M

148.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$286 COP 998.8K

66.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$430 COP 1.5M

283.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$876 COP 3.1M

39.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,404 COP 4.9M

179.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,185 COP 4.1M

444.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

13.43

-14.97%

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 Rionegro: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $384 in Rionegro. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Rionegro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $141 – making Rionegro 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 Rionegro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,276 in Rionegro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rionegro, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $851 in Rionegro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Rionegro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rionegro, where all-in costs run around $851, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Rionegro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Rionegro. 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.