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 $1,333 per month in Tunja vs $1,325 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,026 per month in Tunja vs $2,355 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,720 per month in Tunja vs $3,384 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tunja costs about 1% 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 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 24.8K

$12.87 MX$220

-38.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.53 COP 126.8K

$47.29 MX$807

-14.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 COP 29.8K

$12.79 MX$218

-25.57%

Cappuccino

$2.51 COP 7,866

$3.96 MX$67.6

-36.62%

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

$1.30 COP 4,082

$1.43 MX$24.38

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 COP 2,529

$0.83 MX$14.10

-2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 COP 5,972

$3.03 MX$51.8

-36.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 COP 12.0K

$6.96 MX$119

-44.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 COP 5,049

$1.69 MX$28.89

-4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 COP 7,324

$2.13 MX$36.37

9.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,098

$1.69 MX$28.82

-3.55%

Eggs

$3.78 COP 11.8K

$2.76 MX$47.09

36.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 COP 22.0K

$9.19 MX$157

-23.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 COP 22.9K

$9.03 MX$154

-19.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 COP 33.8K

$12.39 MX$212

-12.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 COP 10.6K

$3.09 MX$52.7

10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,354

$1.55 MX$26.39

10.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 COP 5,988

$2.14 MX$36.60

-10.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 COP 5,598

$2.20 MX$37.62

-18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,417

$2.05 MX$35.02

-31.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,237

$2.03 MX$34.69

-33.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 COP 4,142

$1.22 MX$20.86

8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 COP 3,319

$1.14 MX$19.42

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 COP 13.9K

$4.62 MX$78.9

-3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 COP 40.3K

$10.60 MX$181

21.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 COP 4,242

$1.64 MX$27.99

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 COP 9,305

$2.94 MX$50.1

1.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 COP 3,414

$0.61 MX$10.33

78.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.50 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 COP 3,121

$5.31 MX$90.6

-81.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 COP 7,394

$3.73 MX$63.6

-36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.7K

$5.79 MX$98.8

47.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,016

$1.58 MX$26.90

-18.99%

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

$22.3K COP 69.9M

$22.4K MX$382.9K

-0.45%

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

$36.1K COP 112.8M

$25.4K MX$433.6K

41.97%

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

$128 COP 401.9K

$90.7 MX$1,548

41.70%

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

$16.40 COP 51.3K

$23.03 MX$393

-28.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 COP 97.8K

$31.71 MX$541

-1.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.96 COP 103.1K

$67.1 MX$1,146

-50.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$497

Cinema Ticket

$7.96 COP 24.9K

$5.05 MX$86.3

57.62%

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

$472 COP 1.5M

$222 MX$3,781

113.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,540 COP 20.5M

$4,223 MX$72.1K

54.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.3 COP 248.1K

$45.56 MX$778

74.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 COP 157.3K

$44.06 MX$752

14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 433.1K

$96.3 MX$1,644

43.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 351.5K

$93.3 MX$1,592

20.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 COP 2.1M

$1,074 MX$18.3K

-38.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 COP 1.5M

$402 MX$6,867

22.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.1M

$1,908 MX$32.6K

-47.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 COP 2.9M

$1,259 MX$21.5K

-25.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,032 COP 6.4M

$4,093 MX$69.9K

-50.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 COP 4.9M

$6,594 MX$112.6K

-76.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 MX$12.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.71

11.6

9.57%

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

Last update for Tunja: August 10, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $657 in Tunja versus $1,074 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 $41.00 in Tunja versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $274 – making Tunja 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

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

Yes – Tunja is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,999 per month in Tunja and $1,988 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 $1,333 in Tunja and $1,325 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $472 per month in Tunja and $222 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 $1,325, than in Tunja at $1,333. 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.