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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,724 per month in Burlington vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,059 per month in Burlington vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,393 per month in Burlington vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Burlington costs about 117% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Burlington sits 104% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 CA$28.18

$11.99 MX$209

67.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 CA$103

$41.78 MX$728

74.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.34

$10.75 MX$187

1.40%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.15

$3.50 MX$60.9

4.57%

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

$1.94 CA$2.73

$1.45 MX$25.22

33.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$0.88 MX$15.41

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.40

$2.95 MX$51.3

102.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.36

$4.51 MX$78.6

47.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 CA$2.91

$1.43 MX$24.94

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$1.84 MX$31.99

64.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$1.57 MX$27.31

178.98%

Eggs

$3.03 CA$4.26

$2.51 MX$43.74

20.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$8.28 MX$144

65.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.51

$8.43 MX$147

5.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.96 CA$30.90

$10.68 MX$186

105.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.87

$2.61 MX$45.43

32.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.95

$1.44 MX$25.04

-3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.12

$1.96 MX$34.16

85.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.00

$2.09 MX$36.47

70.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.85 MX$32.24

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.51

$2.17 MX$37.74

-17.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.10

$1.03 MX$17.96

113.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.07 MX$18.70

92.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$4.10 MX$71.4

265.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.29 CA$17.30

$10.17 MX$177

20.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$1.68 MX$29.17

47.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.53 MX$43.98

-11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.24 CA$4.55

$0.51 MX$8.87

535.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 CA$146

$26.04 MX$453

297.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$3.23 MX$56.3

-27.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.42

$2.41 MX$41.88

-28.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.29 CA$62.3

$3.23 MX$56.2

1271.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.32 MX$23.00

-12.12%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-15.76%

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

$21.6K CA$30.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-8.70%

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

$133 CA$187

$82.0 MX$1,428

62.14%

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

$53.1 CA$74.8

$22.95 MX$400

131.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.5 CA$86.6

$30.11 MX$524

104.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.83 CA$65.9

$52.0 MX$905

-9.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.90 CA$32.22

$18.53 MX$323

23.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 CA$15.41

$4.98 MX$86.6

119.88%

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

$947 CA$1,332

$197 MX$3,438

379.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

361.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 CA$86.7

$35.60 MX$620

73.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CA$96.4

$40.33 MX$702

69.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 CA$122

$78.8 MX$1,371

10.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 CA$193

$88.9 MX$1,549

54.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,716 CA$2,414

$947 MX$16.5K

81.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,083

$474 MX$8,254

212.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,722 CA$3,830

$1,644 MX$28.6K

65.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,436 CA$3,427

$1,211 MX$21.1K

101.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,331 CA$7,502

$4,056 MX$70.6K

31.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,338 CA$6,104

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-32.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,413 CA$4,802

$654 MX$11.4K

421.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

11.42

-43.96%

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

Last update for Burlington: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,716 in Burlington versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 422% higher in Burlington, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Burlington versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Burlington vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Burlington is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,086 per month in Burlington and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $947 per month in Burlington and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Burlington, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Burlington at $2,724. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burlington makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.