Cost of Living Comparison Between Soledad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Soledad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $980 per month in Soledad vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Soledad vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,883 per month in Soledad vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Soledad is about 23% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Soledad and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Soledad 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.9K

$11.87 MX$204

-49.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 COP 81.3K

$42.90 MX$736

-45.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.75 COP 34.0K

$10.65 MX$183

-8.45%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,483

$3.45 MX$59.2

-54.49%

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

$0.81 COP 2,831

$1.50 MX$25.81

-46.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,516

$0.95 MX$16.28

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 COP 4,491

$3.03 MX$51.9

-57.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 COP 10.3K

$4.61 MX$79.1

-36.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 3,992

$1.38 MX$23.61

-17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 COP 6,437

$1.85 MX$31.70

-0.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,820

$1.61 MX$27.65

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,592

$2.59 MX$44.51

-15.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 COP 23.6K

$8.26 MX$142

-18.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 COP 20.9K

$8.37 MX$144

-28.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 COP 27.8K

$10.66 MX$183

-25.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 COP 11.3K

$2.63 MX$45.12

23.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,876

$1.49 MX$25.53

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 COP 5,069

$1.92 MX$32.94

-24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,581

$2.09 MX$35.81

-23.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,370

$1.86 MX$31.88

-17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,728

$2.26 MX$38.81

-52.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 COP 3,522

$1.06 MX$18.23

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,078

$1.09 MX$18.67

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,167

$4.15 MX$71.2

-43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 COP 63.1K

$10.39 MX$178

74.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,443

$1.72 MX$29.59

-42.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,433

$2.61 MX$44.85

-62.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,510

$0.54 MX$9.30

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.99 COP 104.7K

$26.94 MX$462

11.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,712

$3.13 MX$53.7

-38.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 COP 5,984

$2.51 MX$43.09

-31.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 COP 17.1K

$3.15 MX$54.1

55.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,560

$1.27 MX$21.88

-19.69%

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

$18.8K COP 65.7M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-37.99%

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

$30.8K COP 107.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

30.65%

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

$143 COP 497.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

71.81%

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

$10.94 COP 38.2K

$22.71 MX$390

-51.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.33 COP 88.4K

$29.46 MX$506

-14.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.80 COP 83.1K

$51.0 MX$875

-53.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.2K

$4.93 MX$84.5

-40.37%

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

$144 COP 503.2K

$197 MX$3,386

-26.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,892 COP 20.6M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

11.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.10 COP 167.9K

$36.90 MX$633

30.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.58 COP 134.7K

$39.89 MX$685

-3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 441.2K

$80.0 MX$1,373

58.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 401.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 COP 988.4K

$956 MX$16.4K

-70.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 821.0K

$477 MX$8,189

-50.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 COP 1.8M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-68.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 COP 1.5M

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-65.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 COP 5.5M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-59.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,353 COP 4.7M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-79.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

31.35%

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

Last update for Soledad: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Soledad versus $956 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 $23.00 in Soledad versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $250 – making Soledad 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

Soledad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,471 per month in Soledad and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Soledad, 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 $980 in Soledad and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Soledad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Soledad, where all-in costs run around $980, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Soledad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Soledad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Soledad. 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.