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 $954 per month in Soledad vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,435 per month in Soledad vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,916 per month in Soledad vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Soledad is about 24% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Soledad and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Soledad 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.13 COP 19.3K

$11.72 MX$203

-47.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 COP 72.8K

$41.89 MX$725

-44.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 COP 29.8K

$10.51 MX$182

-10.09%

Cappuccino

$1.59 COP 5,008

$3.59 MX$62.0

-55.71%

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

$0.80 COP 2,518

$1.51 MX$26.10

-47.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,279

$0.92 MX$15.83

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,091

$2.96 MX$51.2

-56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 COP 9,306

$4.41 MX$76.3

-32.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 COP 3,634

$1.40 MX$24.16

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 COP 5,878

$1.88 MX$32.60

-0.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,203

$1.56 MX$26.97

-14.74%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 6,958

$2.61 MX$45.14

-15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 COP 22.0K

$8.32 MX$144

-16.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 COP 19.2K

$8.35 MX$145

-26.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 COP 24.4K

$10.86 MX$188

-28.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 COP 9,978

$2.71 MX$46.93

16.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,497

$1.51 MX$26.04

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,557

$1.87 MX$32.41

-22.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,152

$2.19 MX$37.89

-25.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,036

$1.86 MX$32.14

-13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,466

$2.23 MX$38.59

-50.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,300

$1.07 MX$18.48

-1.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 1,997

$1.09 MX$18.79

-42.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,090

$4.19 MX$72.4

-46.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.89 COP 59.5K

$10.43 MX$180

81.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.66 MX$28.68

-40.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,115

$2.61 MX$45.19

-62.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,126

$0.54 MX$9.37

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 COP 94.3K

$26.16 MX$453

14.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 COP 6,143

$3.08 MX$53.3

-36.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 COP 5,181

$2.40 MX$41.61

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 COP 15.0K

$3.13 MX$54.1

52.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,011

$1.31 MX$22.69

-26.72%

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

$18.5K COP 58.4M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-37.79%

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

$30.4K COP 95.8M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

30.47%

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

$139 COP 436.8K

$81.3 MX$1,406

70.71%

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

$10.70 COP 33.7K

$22.56 MX$390

-52.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 COP 80.0K

$30.05 MX$520

-15.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.37 COP 73.6K

$52.9 MX$915

-55.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$2.86 COP 9,019

$4.92 MX$85.1

-41.87%

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

$141 COP 443.8K

$201 MX$3,474

-29.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,907 COP 18.6M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

14.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.36 COP 152.3K

$35.92 MX$622

34.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.47 COP 121.1K

$40.13 MX$694

-4.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 COP 393.3K

$79.7 MX$1,379

56.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 351.1K

$86.5 MX$1,496

28.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 COP 878.7K

$978 MX$16.9K

-71.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 COP 760.1K

$470 MX$8,140

-48.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 COP 1.6M

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-68.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 COP 1.4M

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-64.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,046 COP 6.4M

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-48.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,606 COP 5.1M

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-75.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Soledad versus $978 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $252 – 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 32%, 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 $1,430 per month in Soledad and $1,890 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 $954 in Soledad and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% 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 $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.