🙂A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,331 in Villavicencio, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,076 in Villavicencio, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,821 in Villavicencio, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 5% cheaper than Villavicencio, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Villavicencio are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen7% lower, Villavicencio3% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60MX$200
$8.01COP 25.0K
44.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11MX$812
$42.51COP 132.7K
10.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.88MX$205
$10.20COP 31.8K
16.47%
Cappuccino
$3.98MX$68.6
$2.70COP 8,420
47.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MX$24.60
$1.33COP 4,144
7.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82MX$14.22
$0.85COP 2,650
-3.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.19MX$55.0
$1.96COP 6,126
62.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79MX$117
$3.94COP 12.3K
72.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MX$28.89
$1.62COP 5,042
3.70%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20MX$37.88
$2.43COP 7,577
-9.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.45
$1.69COP 5,268
1.18%
Eggs
$2.74MX$47.26
$3.84COP 12.0K
-28.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.58MX$165
$8.11COP 25.3K
18.13%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01MX$155
$7.58COP 23.6K
18.87%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.81MX$221
$10.57COP 33.0K
21.19%
Apples(1kg)
$2.89MX$49.81
$3.55COP 11.1K
-18.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.81
$1.78COP 5,560
-15.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15MX$37.03
$2.03COP 6,347
5.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.96
$1.84COP 5,745
22.83%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98MX$34.15
$1.53COP 4,787
29.41%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.30
$1.48COP 4,624
34.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23MX$21.28
$1.40COP 4,358
-12.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20MX$20.63
$1.22COP 3,802
-1.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55MX$78.5
$4.48COP 14.0K
1.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.37MX$179
$12.82COP 40.0K
-19.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.91
$1.45COP 4,512
11.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88MX$49.67
$3.01COP 9,395
-4.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.35
$1.16COP 3,608
-48.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.80MX$497
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.39MX$92.9
$2.16COP 6,744
149.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.73MX$64.3
$2.44COP 7,621
52.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.77MX$99.5
$9.41COP 29.4K
-38.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.54MX$26.48
$1.30COP 4,061
18.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5KMX$388.8K
$22.5KCOP 70.4M
0.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1KMX$449.3K
$36.1KCOP 112.7M
-27.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$91.4MX$1,576
$129COP 402.2K
-29.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20MX$435
$16.65COP 51.9K
51.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24MX$539
$31.50COP 98.3K
-0.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$67.2MX$1,159
$40.73COP 127.1K
64.99%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11MX$502
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86MX$83.8
$8.11COP 25.3K
-40.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$224MX$3,856
$491COP 1.5M
-54.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,229MX$72.9K
$6,694COP 20.9M
-36.83%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10MX$812
$81.0COP 252.9K
-41.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29MX$764
$49.85COP 155.5K
-11.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1MX$1,381
$145COP 451.6K
-44.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7MX$1,598
$117COP 363.9K
-20.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,063MX$18.3K
$636COP 2.0M
67.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$390MX$6,728
$484COP 1.5M
-19.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,149MX$37.1K
$1,192COP 3.7M
80.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,272MX$21.9K
$1,087COP 3.4M
17.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,001MX$69.0K
$2,229COP 7.0M
79.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,502MX$112.1K
$1,642COP 5.1M
296.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$758MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.45
12.81
-10.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026
Last update for Villavicencio: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $636 in Villavicencio. 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 $43.00 in Villavicencio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $269 – making Villavicencio 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 Villavicencio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Villavicencio cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Villavicencio is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,996 in Villavicencio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Villavicencio?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,331 in Villavicencio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $491 in Villavicencio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Villavicencio?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Villavicencio at $1,331. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Villavicencio it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Villavicencio more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Villavicencio makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared