Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rionegro and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,459 in Rionegro, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rionegro, Colombia
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Rionegro
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,459
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rionegro and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rionegro and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,459 per month in Rionegro vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Rionegro $1,459
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $2,176 per month in Rionegro vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Rionegro $2,176
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,894 per month in Rionegro vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Rionegro $2,894
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Rionegro costs about 21% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Rionegro sits 8% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.26 COP 26.8K
$10.67 MX$201
-22.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.27 COP 153.3K
$43.80 MX$824
7.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.45 COP 30.6K
$11.79 MX$222
-19.85%
Cappuccino
$3.09 COP 10.0K
$3.79 MX$71.2
-18.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 COP 5,977
$1.30 MX$24.41
41.54%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 COP 4,650
$0.83 MX$15.69
72.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 COP 9,937
$3.15 MX$59.2
-2.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 COP 18.3K
$4.93 MX$92.9
14.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 COP 4,645
$1.41 MX$26.51
1.42%
White Bread (500g)
$2.49 COP 8,080
$2.20 MX$41.32
13.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 COP 5,660
$1.47 MX$27.71
19.05%
Eggs
$2.91 COP 9,447
$2.50 MX$46.99
16.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.91 COP 32.1K
$7.29 MX$137
35.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.77 COP 31.7K
$7.95 MX$150
22.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 COP 45.1K
$12.86 MX$242
8.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.95 COP 12.8K
$2.90 MX$54.5
36.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 COP 4,886
$1.38 MX$26.03
9.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,844
$2.49 MX$46.88
-15.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 COP 7,107
$2.03 MX$38.20
7.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 COP 6,449
$2.02 MX$38.11
-1.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 COP 5,108
$1.90 MX$35.82
-16.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,675
$1.14 MX$21.54
-0.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 4,062
$1.24 MX$23.32
0.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.98 COP 12.9K
$4.27 MX$80.4
-6.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.51 COP 43.8K
$9.81 MX$185
37.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 COP 5,353
$1.59 MX$29.85
3.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 COP 7,437
$2.75 MX$51.7
-16.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.07 COP 3,467
$0.51 MX$9.69
109.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.0 COP 210.7K
$27.39 MX$515
137.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 COP 4,322
$4.76 MX$89.6
-72.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,657
$3.25 MX$61.1
-36.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.22 COP 26.6K
$5.39 MX$101
52.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,221
$1.53 MX$28.76
-15.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K COP 110.8M
$21.2K MX$399.2K
61.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 112.6M
$23.3K MX$437.8K
49.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 COP 547.1K
$83.5 MX$1,571
102.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.21 COP 42.8K
$23.19 MX$436
-43.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.88 COP 93.7K
$27.61 MX$520
4.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.76 COP 122.5K
$56.4 MX$1,062
-33.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.19 MX$531
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.08 COP 22.9K
$5.00 MX$94.1
41.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$207 MX$3,897
281.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,934 COP 29.0M
$5,231 MX$98.4K
70.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.4 COP 276.8K
$43.45 MX$818
96.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.8 COP 187.5K
$42.54 MX$801
35.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 449.3K
$72.8 MX$1,369
90.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.6 COP 316.5K
$88.4 MX$1,663
10.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$707 COP 2.3M
$995 MX$18.7K
-28.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$478 COP 1.6M
$382 MX$7,197
25.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,395 COP 4.5M
$1,674 MX$31.5K
-16.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$771 COP 2.5M
$1,081 MX$20.3K
-28.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,191 COP 7.1M
$3,909 MX$73.6K
-43.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,763 COP 5.7M
$6,138 MX$115.5K
-71.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rionegro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$832 MX$15.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11.45
-4.45%

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

Last update for Rionegro: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rionegro
$478
Playa del Carmen
$382 20.1% $96
Groceries & Markets
Rionegro
$295
Playa del Carmen
$257 12.7% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rionegro
$211
Playa del Carmen
$134 36.3% $77
Eating Out
Rionegro
$171
Playa del Carmen
$200 17% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Rionegro
$171
Playa del Carmen
$111 34.8% $59
Getting Around
Rionegro
$81
Playa del Carmen
$50 37.6% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Rionegro
$52
Playa del Carmen
$66 28% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $707 in Rionegro versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. 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 in Rionegro versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Rionegro
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
21:26 9:26 PM
21:26 9:26 PM
Same time as Rionegro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
130,000
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 3,243 COP (10,000 COP = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 3,627 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.82 MXN (100 MXN = 5.31 USD). 1 EUR = 21.05 MXN (100 MXN = 4.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rionegro Playa del Carmen 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rionegro
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Rionegro vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Rionegro?
Yes – Rionegro is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,188 per month in Rionegro and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Rionegro, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $707 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Rionegro and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,459 in Rionegro and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 18% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 58% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is it better to live in Rionegro or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,459 in Rionegro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Rionegro vs other spots: cost of living compared

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