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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $703 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,078 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,453 in Tunja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Tunja 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.60 COP 9,387

359.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$14.73 COP 53.2K

190.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.90 COP 24.9K

53.48%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.07 COP 3,867

238.32%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.76 COP 2,747

93.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.59 COP 2,128

59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.22 COP 4,410

153.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.04 COP 7,382

118.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.23 COP 4,436

16.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.06 COP 3,835

77.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.19 COP 4,298

36.97%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.26 COP 8,143

16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.04 COP 14.6K

103.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.93 COP 21.4K

39.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.48 COP 27.0K

48.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.58 COP 9,330

2.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.22 COP 4,422

22.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.88 COP 3,178

126.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.91 COP 3,303

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.20 COP 4,330

49.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.97 COP 3,495

124.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.97 COP 3,520

11.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.78 COP 2,833

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.74 COP 6,278

128.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.34 COP 30.1K

22.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$0.83 COP 2,979

108.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.51 COP 5,440

65.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.52 COP 1,876

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.70 COP 2,518

348.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.56 COP 5,616

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.88 COP 21.2K

-47.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.92 COP 3,313

38.04%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.6K COP 70.8M

57.36%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$28.0K COP 101.0M

-16.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$74.5 COP 268.8K

10.12%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$8.80 COP 31.8K

155.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$20.58 COP 74.3K

44.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$17.27 COP 62.4K

200.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.76 COP 13.6K

32.18%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$240 COP 867.2K

-17.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,469 COP 8.9M

113.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$65.5 COP 236.6K

-44.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$33.11 COP 119.5K

20.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$84.1 COP 303.7K

-5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$38.28 COP 138.2K

132.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$294 COP 1.1M

228.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$232 COP 839.0K

99.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$529 COP 1.9M

201.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$426 COP 1.5M

183.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.25

-25.11%

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 Tunja: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $294 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $15.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $172 – making Tunja 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 Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 83%, 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 $1,055 in Tunja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tunja, 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 $703 in Tunja. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $240 in Tunja. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tunja, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Tunja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tunja – 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 Tunja. 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.