Cost of Living Comparison Between Castle Rock, CO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Castle Rock, CO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,434 in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,530 in Castle Rock, CO versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,626 in Castle Rock, CO versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Castle Rock, CO is roughly 88% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Castle Rock, CO is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 $15.21

$11.73 MX$202

29.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 $71.4

$41.78 MX$719

70.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 $7.90

$10.41 MX$179

-24.11%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$3.61 MX$62.1

37.67%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$1.46 MX$25.06

39.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.97 MX$16.70

90.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.92 MX$50.3

72.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.62 MX$79.5

9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.43 MX$24.59

-28.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.90 MX$32.70

63.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.57 MX$26.95

111.46%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$2.64 MX$45.34

53.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 $10.82

$8.44 MX$145

28.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 $8.47

$8.58 MX$148

-1.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.86 $16.86

$11.00 MX$189

53.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.70 MX$46.51

45.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.51 MX$25.92

-6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.91 MX$32.93

87.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.17 MX$37.37

129.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.87 MX$32.25

26.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.23 MX$38.43

-13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.08 MX$18.60

21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.07 MX$18.47

83.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 $12.88

$4.16 MX$71.6

209.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 $11.84

$10.29 MX$177

15.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.68 MX$28.95

30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.53 MX$43.59

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.55 MX$9.53

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.20 MX$55.0

-20.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.46 MX$42.37

-44.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.42 $25.42

$3.20 MX$55.0

694.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.32 MX$22.72

-40.91%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-8.60%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

7.27%

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

$168 $168

$81.4 MX$1,400

106.00%

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

$39.26 $39.26

$22.41 MX$386

75.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.89 $45.89

$29.97 MX$516

53.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 $60.8

$51.6 MX$887

18.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$8.37 $8.37

$5.16 MX$88.9

62.21%

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

$1,485 $1,485

$202 MX$3,471

635.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K $18.1K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

241.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.67 $47.67

$35.61 MX$613

33.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$40.37 MX$695

25.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.6 $65.6

$78.6 MX$1,353

-16.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$86.9 MX$1,495

25.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 $1,694

$950 MX$16.3K

78.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,374 $1,374

$478 MX$8,227

187.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$1,621 MX$27.9K

71.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 $2,263

$1,223 MX$21.0K

85.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,904 $5,904

$673 MX$11.6K

777.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

11.42

-43.52%

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

Last update for Castle Rock, CO: June 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,694 in Castle Rock, CO and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castle Rock, CO pays 777% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Castle Rock, CO vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $254 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Castle Rock, CO and Playa del Carmen differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($2,434 vs $1,294 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Castle Rock, CO pays 777% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,694 in Castle Rock, CO versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Castle Rock, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,434 per month in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,434 in Castle Rock, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Castle Rock, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Castle Rock, CO and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Castle Rock, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.