Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Durango, CO Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Durango, CO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,077 in Durango, CO.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,151 in Durango, CO.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,226 in Durango, CO.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 59% less than in Durango, CO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Durango, CO is 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$15.13 $15.13

-23.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$59.9 $59.9

-28.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$7.81 $7.81

35.72%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$5.33 $5.33

-32.65%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$2.82 $2.82

-48.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.77 $1.77

-49.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.82 $5.82

-47.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$6.82 $6.82

-33.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$1.06 $1.06

36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.86 $2.86

-36.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$3.26 $3.26

-50.61%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$4.41 $4.41

-42.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$12.67 $12.67

-32.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$10.46 $10.46

-19.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$20.69 $20.69

-47.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$4.80 $4.80

-43.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.40 $1.40

6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$3.71 $3.71

-47.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$4.37 $4.37

-50.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.47 $2.47

-25.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.43 $2.43

-9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$1.95 $1.95

-45.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$2.30 $2.30

-53.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$9.85 $9.85

-58.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$9.45 $9.45

10.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$1.75 $1.75

-5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$2.82 $2.82

-9.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$1.94 $1.94

-71.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$29.80 $29.80

-12.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$3.51 $3.51

-10.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.86 $1.86

27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$28.56 $28.56

-88.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$0.80 $0.80

63.75%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$29.4K $29.4K

3.83%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$25.6K $25.6K

-6.99%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$183 $183

-54.55%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$53.1 $53.1

-58.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$69.2 $69.2

-57.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$19.01 $19.01

169.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$13.52 $13.52

-63.83%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$1,218 $1,218

-83.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$5,944 $5,944

-12.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$53.4 $53.4

-32.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$50.8 $50.8

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$70.2 $70.2

14.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$114 $114

-23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$2,382 $2,382

-59.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$1,923 $1,923

-74.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$3,474 $3,474

-52.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$2,714 $2,714

-56.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$4,893 $4,893

-19.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$4,964 $4,964

31.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$4,769 $4,769

-84.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.36

79.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Durango, CO: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $2,382 in Durango, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durango, CO pays 557% 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: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $60 in Durango, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $372 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Durango, CO earns 557% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,382 in Durango, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 14% less than in Durango, CO. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $199 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,218 in Durango, CO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,077 in Durango, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Durango, 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 Durango, CO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Durango, CO 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 144% less than in Durango, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.