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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,434 in Rionegro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,245 in Rionegro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,056 in Rionegro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 12% cheaper than Rionegro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Rionegro is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.95 COP 25.2K

45.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$48.93 COP 155.4K

-3.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$9.77 COP 31.0K

21.60%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.03 COP 9,629

31.35%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.85 COP 5,867

-22.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.50 COP 4,763

-45.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$3.16 COP 10.0K

0.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.67 COP 18.0K

19.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.43 COP 4,553

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$2.49 COP 7,904

-11.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.77 COP 5,635

-3.39%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.88 COP 9,145

-4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.07 COP 32.0K

-4.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$10.18 COP 32.3K

-11.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.10 COP 44.8K

-9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$4.06 COP 12.9K

-28.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.62 COP 5,131

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.27 COP 7,191

-5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.24 COP 7,127

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.02 COP 6,411

-1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.54 COP 4,884

29.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.16 COP 3,680

6.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.32 COP 4,176

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.93 COP 12.5K

15.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.81 COP 43.8K

-24.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.73 COP 5,499

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.78 COP 8,828

3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.99 COP 3,148

-39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.37 COP 4,336

293.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.16 COP 6,872

72.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$8.61 COP 27.3K

-32.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.32 COP 4,176

16.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$28.2K COP 89.5M

-20.04%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$36.0K COP 114.4M

-27.66%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$179 COP 567.3K

-48.86%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$13.98 COP 44.4K

80.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$28.72 COP 91.2K

8.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$40.17 COP 127.5K

67.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-26.92%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$793 COP 2.5M

-71.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$9,374 COP 29.8M

-54.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$87.9 COP 279.1K

-46.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$60.4 COP 191.9K

-26.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$140 COP 445.6K

-42.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$103 COP 327.4K

-10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$722 COP 2.3M

47.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$440 COP 1.4M

-11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$1,075 COP 3.4M

99.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,018 COP 3.2M

24.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,264 COP 7.2M

76.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,751 COP 5.6M

271.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Rionegro: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $722 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Rionegro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 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 Rionegro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rionegro is pricier by about 13%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,151 in Rionegro. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,434 in Rionegro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $793 in Rionegro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Rionegro at $1,434. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rionegro 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.

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