Cost of Living Comparison Between Aspen, CO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Aspen, CO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,859 per month in Aspen, CO vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,234 per month in Aspen, CO vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,608 per month in Aspen, CO vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Aspen, CO costs about 128% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Aspen, CO sits 114% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.67 $24.67

$11.99 MX$210

105.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 $69.6

$41.78 MX$733

66.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 $11.21

$10.75 MX$189

4.28%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$3.50 MX$61.3

69.71%

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

$3.55 $3.55

$1.45 MX$25.41

144.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.88 MX$15.52

209.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 $7.93

$2.95 MX$51.7

168.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.17 $8.17

$4.51 MX$79.1

81.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.43 MX$25.12

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$5.28 $5.28

$1.84 MX$32.23

186.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$1.57 MX$27.51

333.12%

Eggs

$5.74 $5.74

$2.51 MX$44.06

128.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$8.28 MX$145

58.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.89 $16.89

$8.43 MX$148

100.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.94 $16.94

$10.68 MX$187

58.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$2.61 MX$45.76

106.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.44 MX$25.22

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$1.96 MX$34.41

215.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.09 MX$36.74

193.78%

Potato (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.85 MX$32.47

122.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.17 MX$38.02

76.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.03 MX$18.09

197.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.07 MX$18.84

141.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.05 $12.05

$4.10 MX$72.0

193.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.14 $17.14

$10.17 MX$178

68.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.68 MX$29.38

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.53 MX$44.31

15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 $3.49

$0.51 MX$8.93

584.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.23 MX$56.7

-23.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.41 MX$42.19

-40.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.96 $23.96

$3.23 MX$56.6

641.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.32 MX$23.17

-37.88%

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

$35.1K $35.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

18.22%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

7.49%

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

$147 $147

$82.0 MX$1,439

79.61%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$22.95 MX$403

160.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$30.11 MX$528

140.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$133 $133

$52.0 MX$912

155.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$16.57 $16.57

$4.98 MX$87.3

232.73%

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

$1,440 $1,440

$197 MX$3,463

629.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

486.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 $73.5

$35.60 MX$624

106.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.51 $48.51

$40.33 MX$707

20.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 $93.6

$78.8 MX$1,381

18.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$88.9 MX$1,560

63.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,558 $2,558

$947 MX$16.6K

170.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 $1,327

$474 MX$8,314

180.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,613 $2,613

$1,644 MX$28.8K

58.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 $2,210

$1,211 MX$21.2K

82.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K $10.8K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

167.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,659 $7,659

$6,470 MX$113.5K

18.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,961 $4,961

$654 MX$11.5K

658.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

11.42

-43.78%

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

Last update for Aspen, CO: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,558 in Aspen, CO versus $947 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.

Salaries run about 659% higher in Aspen, CO, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Aspen, CO versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $494 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Aspen, CO vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aspen, CO costs about 128% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,289 per month in Aspen, CO and $1,884 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Aspen, CO and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Aspen, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Aspen, CO at $2,859. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aspen, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $2,859 in Aspen, CO. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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