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 $2,675 per month in Burlington vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,900 per month in Burlington vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,125 per month in Burlington vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Burlington costs about 111% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Burlington sits 96% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.41 CA$29.94

$11.60 MX$200

84.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$47.11 MX$812

55.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.27

$11.88 MX$205

-8.08%

Cappuccino

$3.30 CA$4.62

$3.98 MX$68.6

-17.09%

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

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.43 MX$24.60

34.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$0.82 MX$14.22

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.19

$3.19 MX$55.0

83.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.47 CA$9.06

$6.79 MX$117

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$1.68 MX$28.89

55.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$2.20 MX$37.88

34.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.45

$1.71 MX$29.45

128.07%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.27

$2.74 MX$47.26

37.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 CA$14.10

$9.58 MX$165

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.51 CA$14.71

$9.01 MX$155

16.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 CA$20.96

$12.81 MX$221

16.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$2.89 MX$49.81

34.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.50 MX$25.81

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.75

$2.15 MX$37.03

24.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.15

$2.26 MX$38.96

62.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.98 MX$34.15

-3.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$1.99 MX$34.30

-6.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.91

$1.23 MX$21.28

69.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.20 MX$20.63

25.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.69 CA$19.15

$4.55 MX$78.5

200.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.97 CA$15.35

$10.37 MX$179

5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$1.62 MX$27.91

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.88 MX$49.67

1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.83

$0.60 MX$10.35

356.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.9 CA$137

$28.80 MX$497

239.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 CA$7.02

$5.39 MX$92.9

-6.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$3.73 MX$64.3

-30.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.79 CA$59.9

$5.77 MX$99.5

641.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.54 MX$26.48

-29.22%

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

$28.8K CA$40.3K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

27.78%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-20.87%

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

$144 CA$201

$91.4 MX$1,576

57.46%

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

$45.85 CA$64.1

$25.20 MX$435

81.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 CA$95.6

$31.24 MX$539

118.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 CA$72.9

$67.2 MX$1,159

-22.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.78 CA$41.66

$29.11 MX$502

2.30%

Cinema Ticket

$16.29 CA$22.78

$4.86 MX$83.8

235.19%

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

$1,199 CA$1,678

$224 MX$3,856

436.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K CA$26.7K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

352.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 CA$100

$47.10 MX$812

51.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 CA$93.1

$44.29 MX$764

50.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 CA$139

$80.1 MX$1,381

24.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 CA$140

$92.7 MX$1,598

8.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 CA$2,351

$1,063 MX$18.3K

58.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CA$2,015

$390 MX$6,728

269.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,542 CA$3,556

$2,149 MX$37.1K

18.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,249 CA$3,146

$1,272 MX$21.9K

76.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,150 CA$7,204

$4,001 MX$69.0K

28.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,158 CA$5,817

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-36.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,212 CA$4,493

$758 MX$13.1K

323.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

11.45

-60.52%

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

Last update for Burlington: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,680 in Burlington versus $1,063 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 324% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 vs $276 – 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 111%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,012 per month in Burlington and $1,899 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 $1,199 per month in Burlington and $224 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 27% 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 $1,266, than in Burlington at $2,675. 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.