Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Colorado Springs, CO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,108 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,275 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,442 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 147% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Colorado Springs, CO is 133% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.73 $19.73

$11.99 MX$210

64.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$41.78 MX$731

100.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$10.75 MX$188

-8.37%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$3.50 MX$61.1

77.71%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$1.45 MX$25.33

124.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.88 MX$15.47

164.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 $6.24

$2.95 MX$51.6

111.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 $6.99

$4.51 MX$78.9

54.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.43 MX$25.04

-30.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.84 MX$32.13

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$1.57 MX$27.42

182.17%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$2.51 MX$43.92

120.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$8.28 MX$145

89.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$8.43 MX$147

80.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.33 $18.33

$10.68 MX$187

71.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.61 MX$45.62

68.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.44 MX$25.15

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.96 MX$34.31

89.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.09 MX$36.62

130.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.85 MX$32.37

47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.17 MX$37.90

24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.03 MX$18.04

119.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.07 MX$18.78

113.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$4.10 MX$71.7

147.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 $19.35

$10.17 MX$178

90.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.68 MX$29.29

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.53 MX$44.17

50.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.51 MX$8.90

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 $62.0

$26.04 MX$455

137.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.23 MX$56.5

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.41 MX$42.06

-40.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.96 $24.96

$3.23 MX$56.5

672.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.32 MX$23.10

-34.85%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-8.00%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

10.31%

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

$194 $194

$82.0 MX$1,434

136.17%

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

$71.9 $71.9

$22.95 MX$401

213.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 $101

$30.11 MX$527

234.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.6 $61.6

$52.0 MX$909

18.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.72 $29.72

$18.53 MX$324

60.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$4.98 MX$87.0

202.21%

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

$1,477 $1,477

$197 MX$3,452

648.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

351.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 $58.8

$35.60 MX$622

65.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.24 $37.24

$40.33 MX$705

-7.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$78.8 MX$1,377

16.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$88.9 MX$1,555

15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 $1,702

$947 MX$16.6K

79.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 $1,628

$474 MX$8,288

243.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,591 $2,591

$1,644 MX$28.7K

57.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 $2,272

$1,211 MX$21.2K

87.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,514 $2,514

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-38.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,444 $2,444

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-62.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,292 $4,292

$654 MX$11.4K

556.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.42

-42.21%

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

Last update for Colorado Springs, CO: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,702 in Colorado Springs, CO and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colorado Springs, CO pays 556% 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: $84.0 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 vs $249 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 556% higher in Colorado Springs, 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: $1,702 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Colorado Springs, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $84.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,108 in Colorado Springs, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Colorado Springs, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Colorado Springs, CO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Colorado Springs, 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 147% less than in Colorado Springs, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.