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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $954 in Soledad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,435 in Soledad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,916 in Soledad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Soledad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Soledad are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Soledad 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$6.13 COP 19.3K

91.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$23.14 COP 72.8K

81.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$9.45 COP 29.8K

11.22%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.59 COP 5,008

125.79%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.80 COP 2,518

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.72 COP 2,279

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.30 COP 4,091

127.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.96 COP 9,306

48.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.15 COP 3,634

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.87 COP 5,878

0.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.33 COP 4,203

17.29%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.21 COP 6,958

18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.98 COP 22.0K

19.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.10 COP 19.2K

36.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.76 COP 24.4K

39.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.17 COP 9,978

-14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.11 COP 3,497

36.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.45 COP 4,557

28.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.64 COP 5,152

33.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.60 COP 5,036

16.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.10 COP 3,466

102.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.05 COP 3,300

1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.63 COP 1,997

73.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.25 COP 7,090

86.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$18.89 COP 59.5K

-44.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.99 COP 3,118

67.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$0.99 COP 3,115

163.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.68 COP 2,126

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$29.96 COP 94.3K

-12.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.95 COP 6,143

57.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.65 COP 5,181

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.78 COP 15.0K

-34.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.96 COP 3,011

36.46%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$18.5K COP 58.4M

60.76%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$30.4K COP 95.8M

-23.36%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$139 COP 436.8K

-41.42%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$10.70 COP 33.7K

110.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$25.40 COP 80.0K

18.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$23.37 COP 73.6K

126.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.86 COP 9,019

72.03%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$141 COP 443.8K

42.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,907 COP 18.6M

-12.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$48.36 COP 152.3K

-25.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$38.47 COP 121.1K

4.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$125 COP 393.3K

-36.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$112 COP 351.1K

-22.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$279 COP 878.7K

250.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$241 COP 760.1K

94.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$521 COP 1.6M

216.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$433 COP 1.4M

177.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,046 COP 6.4M

93.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,606 COP 5.1M

311.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Soledad: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $279 in Soledad. 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 $23.00 in Soledad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $219 – making Soledad 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 Soledad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,430 in Soledad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Soledad, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $954 in Soledad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Soledad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Soledad, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Soledad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soledad – 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 Soledad. 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.