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 $703 per month in Tunja vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,078 per month in Tunja vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,453 per month in Tunja vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tunja is about 45% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tunja and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tunja 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 COP 9,387

$11.94 MX$209

-78.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.73 COP 53.2K

$42.75 MX$748

-65.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 COP 24.9K

$10.59 MX$185

-34.84%

Cappuccino

$1.07 COP 3,867

$3.62 MX$63.4

-70.44%

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

$0.76 COP 2,747

$1.47 MX$25.69

-48.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,128

$0.94 MX$16.51

-37.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 COP 4,410

$3.09 MX$54.1

-60.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 COP 7,382

$4.46 MX$78.0

-54.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 COP 4,436

$1.43 MX$24.94

-13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 COP 3,835

$1.88 MX$32.97

-43.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 4,298

$1.63 MX$28.50

-26.99%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,143

$2.64 MX$46.26

-14.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.04 COP 14.6K

$8.21 MX$144

-50.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 COP 21.4K

$8.29 MX$145

-28.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.48 COP 27.0K

$11.10 MX$194

-32.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 COP 9,330

$2.65 MX$46.40

-2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 COP 4,422

$1.50 MX$26.26

-18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,178

$1.99 MX$34.79

-55.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 COP 3,303

$2.08 MX$36.33

-56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.79 MX$31.29

-32.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,495

$2.18 MX$38.09

-55.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 COP 3,520

$1.08 MX$18.84

-10.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,833

$1.04 MX$18.15

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 COP 6,278

$3.97 MX$69.5

-56.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 COP 30.1K

$10.20 MX$179

-18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,979

$1.73 MX$30.22

-52.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 5,440

$2.50 MX$43.71

-39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 COP 1,876

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 COP 2,518

$3.14 MX$55.0

-77.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 COP 5,616

$2.40 MX$42.04

-35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 COP 21.2K

$3.09 MX$54.0

90.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 COP 3,313

$1.27 MX$22.28

-27.56%

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

$19.6K COP 70.8M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-36.45%

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

$28.0K COP 101.0M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

20.01%

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

$74.5 COP 268.8K

$82.0 MX$1,435

-9.19%

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

$8.80 COP 31.8K

$22.45 MX$393

-60.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.58 COP 74.3K

$29.66 MX$519

-30.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.27 COP 62.4K

$51.9 MX$908

-66.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 COP 13.6K

$4.97 MX$87.0

-24.35%

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

$240 COP 867.2K

$198 MX$3,462

21.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 COP 8.9M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-53.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 COP 236.6K

$36.34 MX$636

80.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.11 COP 119.5K

$40.05 MX$701

-17.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 COP 303.7K

$79.9 MX$1,398

5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 COP 138.2K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-56.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 COP 1.1M

$963 MX$16.9K

-69.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 COP 839.0K

$465 MX$8,133

-49.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 COP 1.9M

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-66.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 COP 1.5M

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-64.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

11.42

33.54%

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

Last update for Tunja: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Tunja versus $963 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 $15.00 in Tunja versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $251 – 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 – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 83%, 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 $1,055 per month in Tunja and $1,930 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 Tunja, 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 $703 in Tunja and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $240 per month in Tunja and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tunja, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Tunja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tunja – 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 Tunja. 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.