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: $3,044 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,227 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,410 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 135% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Colorado Springs, CO is 127% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$11.73 MX$203

72.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.5 $86.5

$41.62 MX$720

107.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 $9.96

$10.64 MX$184

-6.39%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$3.52 MX$60.9

73.86%

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

$3.30 $3.30

$1.51 MX$26.12

118.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.97 MX$16.84

141.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.95 MX$51.0

106.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.45 MX$77.0

56.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.38 MX$23.93

-27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.89 MX$32.72

91.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.64 MX$28.32

167.07%

Eggs

$5.66 $5.66

$2.51 MX$43.34

125.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$8.34 MX$144

81.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.72 $14.72

$8.34 MX$144

76.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.57 $18.57

$10.73 MX$186

73.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.60 MX$45.04

75.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.46 MX$25.20

4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.90 MX$32.87

102.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.08 MX$35.91

134.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.78 MX$30.71

48.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.19 MX$37.80

19.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.04 MX$17.99

118.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.08 MX$18.62

113.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$4.08 MX$70.6

141.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.32 MX$178

81.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.71 MX$29.61

32.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.58 MX$44.54

48.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.51 MX$8.81

362.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 $61.8

$26.46 MX$458

133.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.26 MX$56.4

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.49 MX$43.09

-44.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.05 $25.05

$3.25 MX$56.2

670.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.31 MX$22.61

-39.69%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-9.95%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

8.15%

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

$192 $192

$82.9 MX$1,433

132.00%

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

$73.7 $73.7

$22.22 MX$384

231.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 $100

$29.34 MX$507

241.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 $60.2

$51.6 MX$893

16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.27 $30.27

$18.32 MX$317

65.23%

Cinema Ticket

$14.76 $14.76

$5.07 MX$87.6

191.12%

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

$1,479 $1,479

$201 MX$3,473

636.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

371.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$36.92 MX$639

56.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.99 $36.99

$39.79 MX$688

-7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$78.5 MX$1,357

16.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 $99.2

$87.1 MX$1,506

13.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,741 $1,741

$973 MX$16.8K

78.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$468 MX$8,090

240.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,548 $2,548

$1,641 MX$28.4K

55.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 $2,310

$1,221 MX$21.1K

89.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,604 $2,604

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-34.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,464 $2,464

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-62.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,246 $4,246

$664 MX$11.5K

539.54%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,741 in Colorado Springs, CO and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Colorado Springs, CO pays 540% 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: $87.0 in Colorado Springs, CO vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $439 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 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Colorado Springs, CO pays 540% 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: $1,741 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% 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 $87.0 in Colorado Springs, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,044 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 135% less than in Colorado Springs, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.