Cost of Living Comparison Between Colton, CA and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Colton, CA and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,814 per month in Colton, CA vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,226 per month in Colton, CA vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,637 per month in Colton, CA vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Colton, CA costs about 192% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Colton, CA sits 177% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.54 $17.54

$11.96 MX$202

46.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$47.38 MX$800

65.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.23 $13.23

$11.75 MX$198

12.60%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.12 MX$69.6

40.29%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$1.40 MX$23.63

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.91 MX$15.40

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 $7.91

$3.21 MX$54.1

146.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 $9.86

$7.07 MX$119

39.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.68 MX$28.31

-27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.15 MX$36.31

57.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.77 MX$29.96

111.86%

Eggs

$4.41 $4.41

$2.82 MX$47.54

56.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 $11.23

$9.20 MX$155

22.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.01 $16.01

$9.23 MX$156

73.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.93 $19.93

$12.64 MX$213

57.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.95 MX$49.83

82.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.58 MX$26.66

11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.22 MX$37.53

128.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.36 MX$39.90

150.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.99 MX$33.65

-23.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.98 MX$33.42

-31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.24 MX$20.94

58.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.21 MX$20.46

34.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.13 $11.13

$4.60 MX$77.7

141.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.97 $13.97

$10.52 MX$178

32.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.69 MX$28.56

73.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.77 MX$46.84

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.04 $7.04

$0.60 MX$10.17

1073.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 $80.0

$29.70 MX$502

169.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$5.24 MX$88.4

-41.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$3.65 MX$61.6

-50.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.33 $32.33

$5.78 MX$97.7

459.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.54 MX$25.97

-12.34%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$22.8K MX$385.0K

33.93%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.8K MX$435.8K

1.61%

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

$268 $268

$90.7 MX$1,531

195.96%

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

$70.6 $70.6

$25.19 MX$425

180.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.7 $82.7

$31.75 MX$536

160.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.61 $34.61

$68.8 MX$1,162

-49.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 $15.01

$4.86 MX$82.1

208.85%

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

$987 $987

$226 MX$3,811

337.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$4,194 MX$70.8K

656.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$47.38 MX$800

25.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.99 $34.99

$43.45 MX$734

-19.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$80.2 MX$1,355

44.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$91.4 MX$1,543

29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 $1,890

$1,086 MX$18.3K

74.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 $2,285

$409 MX$6,900

459.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 $3,114

$1,972 MX$33.3K

57.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,352 $3,352

$1,281 MX$21.6K

161.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,864 $9,864

$4,046 MX$68.3K

143.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,315 $8,315

$773 MX$13.1K

975.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-47.60%

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

Last update for Colton, CA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,890 in Colton, CA versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 975% higher in Colton, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Colton, CA versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $278 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Colton, CA vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colton, CA costs about 192% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,721 per month in Colton, CA and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Colton, CA and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,814 in Colton, CA and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Colton, CA at $3,814. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Colton, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,305 versus $3,814 in Colton, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Colton, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.