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: $1,228 in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,981 in Castle Rock, CO versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Castle Rock, CO versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Castle Rock, CO costs roughly 3% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castle Rock, CO 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$11.60 MX$200

55.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 $80.6

$47.11 MX$812

71.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 $9.30

$11.88 MX$205

-21.72%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$3.98 MX$68.6

35.93%

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

$2.53 $2.53

$1.43 MX$24.60

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.82 MX$14.22

141.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.06 $7.06

$3.19 MX$55.0

121.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.79 MX$117

-10.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.68 MX$28.89

-38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.20 MX$37.88

30.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.71 MX$29.45

60.23%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$2.74 MX$47.26

52.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 $10.80

$9.58 MX$165

12.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$9.01 MX$155

11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.49 $20.49

$12.81 MX$221

59.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.89 MX$49.81

84.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.50 MX$25.81

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.15 MX$37.03

74.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$2.26 MX$38.96

137.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.98 MX$34.15

44.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.99 MX$34.30

69.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.23 MX$21.28

3.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.20 MX$20.63

48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$4.55 MX$78.5

121.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.87 $11.87

$10.37 MX$179

14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.62 MX$27.91

54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.88 MX$49.67

-6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$5.39 MX$92.9

-52.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.73 MX$64.3

-49.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.84 $24.84

$5.77 MX$99.5

330.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.54 MX$26.48

-51.30%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

60.14%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-4.11%

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

$214 $214

$91.4 MX$1,576

134.49%

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

$39.90 $39.90

$25.20 MX$435

58.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$31.24 MX$539

120.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.2 $59.2

$67.2 MX$1,159

-11.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$12.05 $12.05

$4.86 MX$83.8

147.94%

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

$1,332 $1,332

$224 MX$3,856

495.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

319.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 $53.9

$47.10 MX$812

14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.19 $49.19

$44.29 MX$764

11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 $79.3

$80.1 MX$1,381

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$92.7 MX$1,598

25.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 $1,667

$1,063 MX$18.3K

56.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,893 $5,893

$758 MX$13.1K

677.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

11.45

-46.90%

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

Last update for Castle Rock, CO: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,667 in Castle Rock, CO and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castle Rock, CO pays 677% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Castle Rock, CO vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $276 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,228 vs $1,266 including rent). Castle Rock, CO is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 677% 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: $1,667 in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,228 in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Castle Rock, CO but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Castle Rock, CO 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 Castle Rock, CO gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.