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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $841 in Rionegro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,489 in Rionegro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,137 in Rionegro, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Rionegro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rionegro are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Rionegro 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.43 COP 16.0K

169.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$30.19 COP 109.0K

41.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.06 COP 25.5K

50.00%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.71 COP 6,161

111.70%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.10 COP 3,960

33.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.72 COP 2,587

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.66 COP 5,981

86.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.24 COP 11.7K

37.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.90 COP 3,232

58.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.16 COP 4,177

62.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.34 COP 4,850

21.64%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.29 COP 8,283

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.45 COP 16.1K

84.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.03 COP 7,321

308.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.65 COP 31.2K

28.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.74 COP 6,269

52.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.06 COP 3,826

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.97 COP 3,503

105.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.74 COP 2,659

181.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.69 COP 2,503

159.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.16 COP 4,205

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.49 COP 1,757

120.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.39 COP 1,413

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.97 COP 7,128

101.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.35 COP 22.9K

60.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.20 COP 4,345

44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.42 COP 8,726

3.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.64 COP 2,323

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$29.84 COP 107.7K

-9.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.46 COP 5,281

115.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.68 COP 6,057

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$8.06 COP 29.1K

-61.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.95 COP 3,431

33.68%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$18.1K COP 65.4M

70.60%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$26.6K COP 96.2M

-12.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$83.1 COP 300.2K

-1.36%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.74 COP 35.2K

130.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$24.22 COP 87.4K

22.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$21.68 COP 78.3K

139.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.03 COP 14.6K

23.33%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$307 COP 1.1M

-35.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,966 COP 21.5M

-11.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$58.8 COP 212.2K

-38.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$31.87 COP 115.0K

25.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$100 COP 361.6K

-20.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$106 COP 380.9K

-15.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$385 COP 1.4M

149.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$289 COP 1.0M

60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$439 COP 1.6M

263.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$869 COP 3.1M

39.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,648 COP 5.9M

139.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,381 COP 5.0M

366.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Rionegro: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $385 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 $30.00 in Rionegro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $142 – 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 53%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,262 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $841 in Rionegro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% 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 $841, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.