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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,315 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,022 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,729 in Tunja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Tunja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tunja 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$203

$5.72 COP 18.8K

100.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 MX$829

$32.70 COP 107.7K

43.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 MX$210

$9.48 COP 31.2K

25.53%

Cappuccino

$4.02 MX$71.1

$2.21 COP 7,278

81.90%

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

$1.37 MX$24.18

$1.41 COP 4,635

-2.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.42

$1.07 COP 3,515

-23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 MX$58.4

$1.71 COP 5,638

92.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 MX$119

$2.64 COP 8,701

154.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$29.02

$1.53 COP 5,028

7.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$37.98

$1.49 COP 4,913

44.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$31.31

$1.76 COP 5,788

0.57%

Eggs

$2.75 MX$48.64

$3.30 COP 10.9K

-16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 MX$162

$8.27 COP 27.2K

10.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$163

$14.71 COP 48.5K

-37.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 MX$219

$17.90 COP 58.9K

-30.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$51.3

$3.56 COP 11.7K

-18.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.48

$1.44 COP 4,744

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 MX$38.20

$2.19 COP 7,219

-1.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 MX$39.69

$1.82 COP 5,979

23.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.74

$1.44 COP 4,759

40.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.72

$1.49 COP 4,920

35.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$21.11

$0.94 COP 3,089

26.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$20.06

$0.94 COP 3,104

20.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 MX$78.3

$4.45 COP 14.7K

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 MX$188

$12.95 COP 42.6K

-17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.64

$1.45 COP 4,790

15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MX$51.3

$1.68 COP 5,517

72.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.67

$1.13 COP 3,709

-46.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.09 MX$514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$94.0

$0.98 COP 3,239

442.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.57 MX$63.1

$2.05 COP 6,750

74.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 MX$104

$7.82 COP 25.8K

-24.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$26.66

$1.32 COP 4,353

14.39%

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

$22.3K MX$395.0K

$27.5K COP 90.4M

-18.61%

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

$25.7K MX$453.5K

$33.7K COP 111.0M

-23.89%

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

$90.6 MX$1,600

$180 COP 593.5K

-49.75%

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

$25.44 MX$450

$10.94 COP 36.0K

132.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.61 MX$541

$26.31 COP 86.6K

16.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.9 MX$1,183

$36.98 COP 121.8K

80.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 MX$521

Cinema Ticket

$4.91 MX$86.7

$6.51 COP 21.4K

-24.58%

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

$216 MX$3,811

$641 COP 2.1M

-66.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,125 MX$72.9K

$6,693 COP 22.0M

-38.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.02 MX$813

$53.2 COP 175.3K

-13.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.24 MX$782

$57.2 COP 188.5K

-22.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.4 MX$1,385

$125 COP 410.9K

-37.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.0 MX$1,627

$98.0 COP 322.9K

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 MX$18.8K

$698 COP 2.3M

52.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,967

$472 COP 1.6M

-16.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,120 MX$37.5K

$1,043 COP 3.4M

103.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 MX$22.2K

$985 COP 3.2M

27.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 MX$72.0K

$1,991 COP 6.6M

104.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,606 MX$116.8K

$1,704 COP 5.6M

287.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$13.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.4

-7.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 21, 2026

Last update for Tunja: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,061 in Playa del Carmen versus $698 in Tunja. 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 $33.00 in Tunja. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Playa del Carmen vs $306 in Tunja – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tunja is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,898 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,972 in Tunja. 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 $1,265 in Playa del Carmen and $1,315 in Tunja. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $216 per month in Playa del Carmen and $641 in Tunja. 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 $1,265, than in Tunja at $1,315. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tunja 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, Tunja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.