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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in Fort Collins, CO, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$18.24 $18.24

-35.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$70.9 $70.9

-41.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$11.59 $11.59

-8.20%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$4.81 $4.81

-26.82%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$2.05 $2.05

-26.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$2.40 $2.40

-59.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$6.81 $6.81

-56.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.39 $6.39

-30.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.01 $1.01

36.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$3.15 $3.15

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$3.26 $3.26

-49.69%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$4.26 $4.26

-41.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.83 $10.83

-22.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.79 $8.79

-5.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$16.63 $16.63

-35.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$3.90 $3.90

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.57 $1.57

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$4.37 $4.37

-56.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$5.04 $5.04

-58.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$2.27 $2.27

-21.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.88 $1.88

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$2.42 $2.42

-57.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.95 $1.95

-44.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$9.39 $9.39

-56.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.29 $19.29

-46.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$2.27 $2.27

-24.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.66 $2.66

-3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.01 $2.01

-74.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.57 $2.57

26.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.43 $1.43

74.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$25.38 $25.38

-87.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.87 $0.87

50.57%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$27.3K $27.3K

11.05%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

-7.68%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$169 $169

-51.04%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$43.79 $43.79

-49.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$76.7 $76.7

-61.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$59.6 $59.6

-13.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.13 $15.13

21.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$11.88 $11.88

-57.32%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$1,554 $1,554

-87.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$12.6K $12.6K

-58.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$68.4 $68.4

-46.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$91.5 $91.5

-56.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$80.1 $80.1

-2.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$107 $107

-18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,810 $1,810

-46.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$1,241 $1,241

-62.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,782 $2,782

-41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,262 $2,262

-46.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,982 $2,982

32.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,947 $2,947

120.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,422 $4,422

-84.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.59

73.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,810 in Fort Collins, CO. 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $71.0 in Fort Collins, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $368 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 Fort Collins, CO: 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.

On paper, Fort Collins, CO earns 566% 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,810 in Fort Collins, CO. 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,502 in Fort Collins, CO – 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, Playa del Carmen and Fort Collins, 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 93% less than in Fort Collins, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.