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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $980 in Soledad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,464 in Soledad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,947 in Soledad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% more than Soledad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Soledad are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Soledad 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.98 COP 21.6K

99.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$23.99 COP 86.6K

78.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.82 COP 35.5K

7.84%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.64 COP 5,928

120.73%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.86 COP 3,121

70.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.72 COP 2,603

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.25 COP 4,522

147.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.89 COP 10.5K

54.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.20 COP 4,337

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.86 COP 6,727

1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.33 COP 4,797

22.56%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.21 COP 7,963

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.91 COP 25.0K

18.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.16 COP 22.2K

34.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.78 COP 28.1K

42.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.29 COP 11.9K

-19.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.06 COP 3,844

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.51 COP 5,455

31.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.65 COP 5,970

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.54 COP 5,562

16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.11 COP 4,005

96.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.01 COP 3,644

6.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.59 COP 2,139

76.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.29 COP 8,254

73.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$18.15 COP 65.5K

-43.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.92 COP 3,332

88.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$0.97 COP 3,513

157.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.68 COP 2,463

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.02 COP 108.4K

-10.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.91 COP 6,897

64.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.72 COP 6,217

39.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.76 COP 17.2K

-35.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.96 COP 3,472

32.29%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$18.7K COP 67.5M

65.19%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$30.1K COP 108.7M

-22.57%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$143 COP 514.8K

-42.49%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$10.90 COP 39.3K

105.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$24.92 COP 90.0K

19.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$23.77 COP 85.8K

118.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.85 COP 10.3K

74.39%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$140 COP 506.7K

40.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$5,852 COP 21.1M

-9.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$49.04 COP 177.0K

-25.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$38.25 COP 138.1K

4.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$127 COP 458.6K

-37.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$112 COP 403.4K

-20.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$282 COP 1.0M

241.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$236 COP 852.9K

96.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$523 COP 1.9M

205.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$427 COP 1.5M

183.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,518 COP 5.5M

159.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,302 COP 4.7M

395.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Soledad: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $282 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Soledad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $218 – 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 31%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,470 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $980 in Soledad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% 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 $980, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.