Cost of Living Comparison Between Armstrong and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Armstrong and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,367 in Armstrong versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,430 in Armstrong versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,492 in Armstrong versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Armstrong is roughly 86% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Armstrong is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.10 CA$30.87

$11.87 MX$204

86.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$99.2

$42.90 MX$736

65.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.14

$10.65 MX$183

1.78%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.14

$3.45 MX$59.2

6.67%

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

$2.72 CA$3.80

$1.50 MX$25.81

81.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.72

$0.95 MX$16.28

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.27

$3.03 MX$51.9

95.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.15

$4.61 MX$79.1

42.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.78

$1.38 MX$23.61

96.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.85 MX$31.70

36.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.56

$1.61 MX$27.65

102.48%

Eggs

$3.87 CA$5.40

$2.59 MX$44.51

49.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.62 CA$13.44

$8.26 MX$142

16.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.49 CA$14.65

$8.37 MX$144

25.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 CA$21.36

$10.66 MX$183

43.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.63

$2.63 MX$45.12

53.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.43

$1.49 MX$25.53

16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.52

$1.92 MX$32.94

105.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.67

$2.09 MX$35.81

94.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.87

$1.86 MX$31.88

48.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.26 MX$38.81

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 CA$3.94

$1.06 MX$18.23

166.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.09 MX$18.67

60.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.35 CA$18.64

$4.15 MX$71.2

221.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.78 CA$17.84

$10.39 MX$178

23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.81

$1.72 MX$29.59

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 CA$5.41

$2.61 MX$44.85

48.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.28

$0.54 MX$9.30

335.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 CA$89.0

$26.94 MX$462

136.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 CA$3.49

$3.13 MX$53.7

-20.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 CA$2.27

$2.51 MX$43.09

-35.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 CA$18.27

$3.15 MX$54.1

315.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.70

$1.27 MX$21.88

-4.72%

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

$24.9K CA$34.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-18.16%

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

$20.0K CA$27.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-15.33%

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

$163 CA$228

$83.0 MX$1,425

96.42%

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

$45.56 CA$63.6

$22.71 MX$390

100.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 CA$88.3

$29.46 MX$506

114.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 CA$58.2

$51.0 MX$875

-18.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 CA$14.83

$4.93 MX$84.5

115.42%

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

$444 CA$620

$197 MX$3,386

124.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,025 CA$5,622

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-23.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$84.1

$36.90 MX$633

63.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.32 CA$54.9

$39.89 MX$685

-1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 CA$115

$80.0 MX$1,373

2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 CA$109

$89.5 MX$1,536

-13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 CA$1,805

$956 MX$16.4K

35.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,621

$477 MX$8,189

143.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 CA$2,848

$1,646 MX$28.3K

23.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 CA$2,535

$1,225 MX$21.0K

48.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,089 CA$5,710

$3,918 MX$67.2K

4.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,927 CA$5,484

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-39.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.42

-44.31%

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

Last update for Armstrong: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,292 in Armstrong and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Armstrong vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $250 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

Armstrong vs Playa del Carmen: 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 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,550 in Armstrong and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,292 in Armstrong versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. 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 136% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $444 in Armstrong versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,367 in Armstrong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Armstrong. 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 Armstrong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.