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: $2,394 in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,478 in Castle Rock, CO versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Castle Rock, CO versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Castle Rock, CO is roughly 90% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Castle Rock, CO is 80% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 $14.74

$11.72 MX$203

25.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 $70.7

$41.89 MX$725

68.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 $7.84

$10.51 MX$182

-25.40%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$3.59 MX$62.0

37.33%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$1.51 MX$26.10

29.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.92 MX$15.83

111.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.96 MX$51.2

71.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.41 MX$76.3

12.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.40 MX$24.16

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.88 MX$32.60

60.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.56 MX$26.97

112.18%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.61 MX$45.14

59.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 $10.88

$8.32 MX$144

30.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 $8.73

$8.35 MX$145

4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.56 $16.56

$10.86 MX$188

52.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.71 MX$46.93

41.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.51 MX$26.04

-7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.87 MX$32.41

102.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.19 MX$37.89

131.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.86 MX$32.14

24.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.23 MX$38.59

-13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.07 MX$18.48

22.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.09 MX$18.79

79.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.89 $12.89

$4.19 MX$72.4

207.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 $11.76

$10.43 MX$180

12.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.66 MX$28.68

38.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.61 MX$45.19

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.54 MX$9.37

281.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.08 MX$53.3

-17.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$2.40 MX$41.61

-42.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.24 $25.24

$3.13 MX$54.1

706.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 MX$22.69

-35.88%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-6.15%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

9.16%

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

$168 $168

$81.3 MX$1,406

106.16%

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

$40.45 $40.45

$22.56 MX$390

79.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.43 $45.43

$30.05 MX$520

51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 $59.9

$52.9 MX$915

13.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$8.71 $8.71

$4.92 MX$85.1

77.03%

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

$1,503 $1,503

$201 MX$3,474

648.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K $18.2K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

251.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 $47.10

$35.92 MX$622

31.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.81 $49.81

$40.13 MX$694

24.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 $66.1

$79.7 MX$1,379

-17.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$86.5 MX$1,496

27.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 $1,695

$978 MX$16.9K

73.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$470 MX$8,140

191.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,767 $2,767

$1,651 MX$28.6K

67.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$1,203 MX$20.8K

87.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,793 $5,793

$677 MX$11.7K

756.18%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,695 in Castle Rock, CO and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castle Rock, CO pays 756% 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 $345 vs $252 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 90% in total monthly costs ($2,394 vs $1,260 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 756% higher in Castle Rock, CO, 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: $1,695 in Castle Rock, CO versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Castle Rock, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,394 per month in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,394 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 90% less than in Castle Rock, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.