Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Collins, CO and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Collins, CO and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,502 in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,709 in Fort Collins, CO versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,916 in Fort Collins, CO versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Collins, CO is roughly 93% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Collins, CO is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.24 $18.24

$11.73 MX$203

55.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 $70.9

$41.62 MX$719

70.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.59 $11.59

$10.64 MX$184

8.93%

Cappuccino

$4.81 $4.81

$3.52 MX$60.8

36.65%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$1.51 MX$26.09

35.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.97 MX$16.82

147.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$2.95 MX$51.0

130.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.45 MX$77.0

43.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.38 MX$23.90

-26.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.89 MX$32.69

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.64 MX$28.29

98.78%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.51 MX$43.30

69.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 $10.83

$8.34 MX$144

29.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.79 $8.79

$8.34 MX$144

5.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$10.73 MX$185

54.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.60 MX$45.00

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.46 MX$25.18

7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.90 MX$32.84

130.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.08 MX$35.88

142.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.78 MX$30.68

27.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.19 MX$37.76

-14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.04 MX$17.97

132.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.08 MX$18.60

80.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 $9.39

$4.08 MX$70.5

130.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.29 $19.29

$10.32 MX$178

86.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.71 MX$29.59

32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.58 MX$44.50

3.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.51 MX$8.81

294.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.26 MX$56.4

-21.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.49 MX$43.05

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.38 $25.38

$3.25 MX$56.1

680.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.31 MX$22.59

-33.59%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-9.95%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

8.31%

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

$169 $169

$82.9 MX$1,432

104.26%

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

$43.79 $43.79

$22.22 MX$384

97.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.7 $76.7

$29.34 MX$507

161.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 $59.6

$51.6 MX$892

15.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 $15.13

$18.32 MX$317

-17.41%

Cinema Ticket

$11.88 $11.88

$5.07 MX$87.5

134.32%

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

$1,554 $1,554

$201 MX$3,470

674.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K $12.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

141.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$36.92 MX$638

85.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$91.5 $91.5

$39.79 MX$688

130.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$78.5 MX$1,356

2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$87.1 MX$1,505

22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 $1,810

$973 MX$16.8K

86.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 $1,241

$468 MX$8,082

165.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 $2,782

$1,641 MX$28.4K

69.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 $2,262

$1,221 MX$21.1K

85.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,982 $2,982

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-24.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,947 $2,947

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-54.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,422 $4,422

$664 MX$11.5K

565.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

11.42

-42.29%

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

Last update for Fort Collins, CO: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,810 in Fort Collins, CO and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Collins, CO pays 566% 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 Fort Collins, CO vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 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

Fort Collins, CO vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Fort Collins, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Fort Collins, CO pays 566% 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: $1,810 in Fort Collins, 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 48% higher in Fort Collins, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,502 per month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,502 in Fort Collins, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort Collins, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Collins, 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 93% less than in Fort Collins, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.