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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $711 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,062 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,413 in Tunja, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 79% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tunja 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.68 COP 9,353

342.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$14.38 COP 50.2K

198.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.71 COP 23.4K

58.72%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.07 COP 3,731

222.43%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.74 COP 2,588

102.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.56 COP 1,937

69.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.19 COP 4,151

154.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.11 COP 7,356

118.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.21 COP 4,239

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.06 COP 3,698

74.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.20 COP 4,185

34.17%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.18 COP 7,595

18.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.24 COP 14.8K

94.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.67 COP 19.8K

47.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.24 COP 25.3K

47.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.48 COP 8,667

6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.18 COP 4,124

26.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.85 COP 2,959

125.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.92 COP 3,219

127.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.19 COP 4,154

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.94 COP 3,292

140.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.95 COP 3,312

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.74 COP 2,586

47.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.66 COP 5,797

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$8.41 COP 29.4K

23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$0.83 COP 2,889

107.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.56 COP 5,447

67.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.51 COP 1,768

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.66 COP 2,312

374.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.55 COP 5,421

61.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-47.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.93 COP 3,230

36.56%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.2K COP 66.9M

58.52%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.0K COP 97.6M

-15.71%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$76.1 COP 265.7K

9.04%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.86 COP 30.9K

156.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$20.41 COP 71.2K

44.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$16.80 COP 58.6K

203.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.81 COP 13.3K

29.40%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$242 COP 844.3K

-18.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,419 COP 8.4M

118.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$63.7 COP 222.2K

-42.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$33.19 COP 115.8K

20.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$83.8 COP 292.3K

-4.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$37.53 COP 131.0K

138.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$286 COP 998.0K

234.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$230 COP 801.8K

107.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$521 COP 1.8M

215.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$421 COP 1.5M

191.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tunja: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 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 $14.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $169 – 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 79%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,066 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $711 in Tunja. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $242 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 $711, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.