Cartagena vs Playa del Carmen for Digital Nomads
🇨🇴 Cartagena vs 🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen · updated 2026-07
Verdict
Cheaper: Cartagena · Faster internet: Cartagena · Higher Nomad Score: Cartagena.
Head-to-head
| 🇨🇴 Cartagena | 🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen | |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable / month | $1,200 ★ | $1,620 |
| 1-bed rent | $600 ★ | $900 |
| Food | $280 ★ | $340 |
| Coworking | $100 ★ | $130 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 75 ★ | 70 |
| Affordability | 88 ★ | 77 |
| Weather | 82 | 88 ★ |
| Community | 70 | 84 ★ |
| Nomad Score | 79 ★ | 77 |
| Climate | Tropical Caribbean | Tropical Caribbean |
★ = better on that row. Figures are aggregated estimates.
FAQ
Is Cartagena or Playa del Carmen cheaper for digital nomads?
Cartagena is cheaper — about $1,200/month vs $1,620/month for a comfortable solo setup.
Which has faster internet, Cartagena or Playa del Carmen?
Cartagena has faster average broadband (75 Mbps vs 70 Mbps).
Which has the higher Nomad Score?
Cartagena scores 79 vs 77 on our composite of affordability, connectivity, weather and community.