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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,315 per month in Tunja vs $1,265 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,022 per month in Tunja vs $2,314 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,729 per month in Tunja vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tunja costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tunja and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tunja 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 COP 18.8K

$11.48 MX$203

-50.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.70 COP 107.7K

$46.90 MX$829

-30.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.48 COP 31.2K

$11.90 MX$210

-20.34%

Cappuccino

$2.21 COP 7,278

$4.02 MX$71.1

-45.02%

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

$1.41 COP 4,635

$1.37 MX$24.18

2.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 COP 3,515

$0.82 MX$14.42

30.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 5,638

$3.30 MX$58.4

-48.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 COP 8,701

$6.71 MX$119

-60.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 5,028

$1.64 MX$29.02

-6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 COP 4,913

$2.15 MX$37.98

-30.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,788

$1.77 MX$31.31

-0.56%

Eggs

$3.30 COP 10.9K

$2.75 MX$48.64

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 COP 27.2K

$9.15 MX$162

-9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.71 COP 48.5K

$9.23 MX$163

59.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.90 COP 58.9K

$12.41 MX$219

44.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 COP 11.7K

$2.90 MX$51.3

22.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,744

$1.50 MX$26.48

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 COP 7,219

$2.16 MX$38.20

1.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 COP 5,979

$2.25 MX$39.69

-19.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,759

$2.02 MX$35.74

-28.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,920

$2.02 MX$35.72

-26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 COP 3,089

$1.19 MX$21.11

-21.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 3,104

$1.13 MX$20.06

-16.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 COP 14.7K

$4.43 MX$78.3

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 COP 42.6K

$10.63 MX$188

21.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,790

$1.68 MX$29.64

-13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 COP 5,517

$2.90 MX$51.3

-42.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 COP 3,709

$0.60 MX$10.67

88.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.09 MX$514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 COP 3,239

$5.32 MX$94.0

-81.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,750

$3.57 MX$63.1

-42.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 COP 25.8K

$5.88 MX$104

32.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 COP 4,353

$1.51 MX$26.66

-12.58%

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

$27.5K COP 90.4M

$22.3K MX$395.0K

22.87%

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

$33.7K COP 111.0M

$25.7K MX$453.5K

31.40%

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

$180 COP 593.5K

$90.6 MX$1,600

99.00%

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

$10.94 COP 36.0K

$25.44 MX$450

-57.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.31 COP 86.6K

$30.61 MX$541

-14.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.98 COP 121.8K

$66.9 MX$1,183

-44.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 MX$521

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 COP 21.4K

$4.91 MX$86.7

32.59%

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

$641 COP 2.1M

$216 MX$3,811

197.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,693 COP 22.0M

$4,125 MX$72.9K

62.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 COP 175.3K

$46.02 MX$813

15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 COP 188.5K

$44.24 MX$782

29.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 COP 410.9K

$78.4 MX$1,385

59.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 COP 322.9K

$92.0 MX$1,627

6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 COP 2.3M

$1,061 MX$18.8K

-34.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 COP 1.6M

$394 MX$6,967

19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,043 COP 3.4M

$2,120 MX$37.5K

-50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$985 COP 3.2M

$1,259 MX$22.2K

-21.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,991 COP 6.6M

$4,072 MX$72.0K

-51.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,704 COP 5.6M

$6,606 MX$116.8K

-74.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$752 MX$13.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.4

11.45

8.30%

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

Last update for Tunja: September 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $698 in Tunja versus $1,061 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 $33.00 in Tunja versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $306 in Tunja vs $274 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Tunja is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,972 per month in Tunja and $1,898 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,315 in Tunja and $1,265 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $641 per month in Tunja and $216 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Tunja at $1,315. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tunja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tunja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.