😐A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $612 in Villavicencio, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,021 in Villavicencio, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,430 in Villavicencio, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 105% more than Villavicencio, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Villavicencio are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen6% lower, Villavicencio54% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.99MX$209
$2.86COP 9,297
319.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.78MX$728
$21.52COP 70.1K
94.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.75MX$187
$6.16COP 20.1K
74.51%
Cappuccino
$3.50MX$60.9
$1.27COP 4,135
175.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45MX$25.22
$0.82COP 2,679
76.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88MX$15.41
$0.61COP 1,991
44.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.95MX$51.3
$1.12COP 3,630
163.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.51MX$78.6
$1.66COP 5,395
171.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.00COP 3,247
43.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.99
$1.20COP 3,904
53.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.57MX$27.31
$0.90COP 2,935
74.44%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.74
$1.96COP 6,373
28.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.28MX$144
$4.81COP 15.7K
72.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.43MX$147
$5.15COP 16.8K
63.69%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.68MX$186
$7.21COP 23.5K
48.13%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61MX$45.43
$2.49COP 8,108
4.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MX$25.04
$0.78COP 2,554
84.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$34.16
$1.36COP 4,433
44.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$36.47
$1.24COP 4,044
68.55%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85MX$32.24
$1.11COP 3,606
66.67%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.74
$1.14COP 3,696
90.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03MX$17.96
$0.72COP 2,341
43.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.70
$0.67COP 2,174
59.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10MX$71.4
$2.44COP 7,930
68.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.17MX$177
$12.11COP 39.4K
-16.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68MX$29.17
$0.81COP 2,651
107.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53MX$43.98
$1.60COP 5,205
58.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.87
$0.62COP 2,030
-17.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.04MX$453
$9.54COP 31.0K
172.96%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.3
$1.43COP 4,649
125.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.41MX$41.88
$1.39COP 4,517
73.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.23MX$56.2
$6.09COP 19.8K
-46.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32MX$23.00
$1.02COP 3,317
29.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7KMX$517.1K
$12.1KCOP 39.5M
144.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7KMX$412.0K
$17.0KCOP 55.3M
39.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,428
$31.70COP 103.2K
158.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.95MX$400
$11.00COP 35.8K
108.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.11MX$524
$22.79COP 74.2K
32.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$905
$25.61COP 83.4K
102.93%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.53MX$323
$16.87COP 54.9K
9.84%
Cinema Ticket
$4.98MX$86.6
$3.79COP 12.3K
31.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,438
$240COP 781.2K
-17.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,336MX$92.9K
$8,420COP 27.4M
-36.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.60MX$620
$53.5COP 174.1K
-33.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33MX$702
$32.14COP 104.6K
25.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,371
$71.0COP 231.0K
10.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,549
$66.3COP 215.8K
34.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$947MX$16.5K
$145COP 473.0K
551.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$474MX$8,254
$137COP 444.5K
247.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,644MX$28.6K
$405COP 1.3M
305.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,211MX$21.1K
$382COP 1.2M
216.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,056MX$70.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,470MX$112.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Villavicencio
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$654MX$11.4K
$416COP 1.4M
57.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
12.93
-11.68%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026
Last update for Villavicencio: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $145 in Villavicencio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
💰Salaries run about 57% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Villavicencio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $172 – 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 105%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $918 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 Villavicencio, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $612 in Villavicencio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 173% less in Villavicencio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Villavicencio?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Villavicencio, where all-in costs run around $612, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Villavicencio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Villavicencio more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Villavicencio – 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 Villavicencio. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared