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: $2,675 in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,067 in Fort Collins, CO versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,459 in Fort Collins, CO versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Collins, CO is roughly 111% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Collins, CO is 96% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 $22.21

$11.60 MX$200

91.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$47.11 MX$812

68.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$11.88 MX$205

-7.83%

Cappuccino

$6.06 $6.06

$3.98 MX$68.6

52.26%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$1.43 MX$24.60

76.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.82 MX$14.22

164.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.19 MX$55.0

114.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$6.79 MX$117

4.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.68 MX$28.89

-40.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.20 MX$37.88

34.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.71 MX$29.45

60.82%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$2.74 MX$47.26

59.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$9.58 MX$165

13.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$9.01 MX$155

13.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$12.81 MX$221

60.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.89 MX$49.81

82.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.15 MX$37.03

132.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.26 MX$38.96

134.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.98 MX$34.15

75.25%

Onion (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.99 MX$34.30

129.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.23 MX$21.28

87.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.20 MX$20.63

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.79 $9.79

$4.55 MX$78.5

115.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 $18.05

$10.37 MX$179

74.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.62 MX$27.91

58.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.88 MX$49.67

-4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$5.39 MX$92.9

-54.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.73 MX$64.3

-49.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.75 $24.75

$5.77 MX$99.5

328.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.54 MX$26.48

-33.12%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

59.63%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-4.67%

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

$213 $213

$91.4 MX$1,576

133.57%

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

$55.7 $55.7

$25.20 MX$435

121.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$31.24 MX$539

126.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 $53.9

$67.2 MX$1,159

-19.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 $30.07

$29.11 MX$502

3.30%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$4.86 MX$83.8

151.44%

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

$1,315 $1,315

$224 MX$3,856

488.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

193.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 $60.9

$47.10 MX$812

29.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 $67.5

$44.29 MX$764

52.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$80.1 MX$1,381

-0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$92.7 MX$1,598

25.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 $1,861

$1,063 MX$18.3K

75.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$390 MX$6,728

251.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,735 $2,735

$2,149 MX$37.1K

27.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$1,272 MX$21.9K

94.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,041 $3,041

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-24.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,003 $3,003

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-53.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,390 $4,390

$758 MX$13.1K

479.04%

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 Fort Collins, CO: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Collins, CO pays 479% 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: $80.0 in Fort Collins, CO vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 111% 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.

Average pay runs 479% higher in Fort Collins, 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: $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Fort Collins, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,675 per month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,675 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 $1,266 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 111% less than in Fort Collins, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.