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 $2,778 per month in Burlington vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,107 per month in Burlington vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,436 per month in Burlington vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Burlington costs about 114% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Burlington sits 107% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 CA$28.02

$11.73 MX$203

71.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$41.62 MX$719

78.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.24

$10.64 MX$184

3.01%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.11

$3.52 MX$60.8

4.26%

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

$2.01 CA$2.80

$1.51 MX$26.09

33.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$0.97 MX$16.82

78.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.14

$2.95 MX$51.0

98.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 CA$9.09

$4.45 MX$77.0

46.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$1.38 MX$23.90

44.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$1.89 MX$32.69

62.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.99

$1.64 MX$28.29

162.80%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.43

$2.51 MX$43.30

27.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 CA$18.98

$8.34 MX$144

63.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 CA$12.72

$8.34 MX$144

9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.94 CA$30.51

$10.73 MX$185

104.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.81

$2.60 MX$45.00

33.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.46 MX$25.18

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$1.90 MX$32.84

96.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.86

$2.08 MX$35.88

67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.78 MX$30.68

9.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$2.19 MX$37.76

-18.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 CA$2.93

$1.04 MX$17.97

101.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.08 MX$18.60

85.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.74 CA$20.50

$4.08 MX$70.5

261.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.56

$10.32 MX$178

22.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.29

$1.71 MX$29.59

38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$2.58 MX$44.50

-9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$0.51 MX$8.81

564.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 CA$146

$26.46 MX$457

298.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CA$3.22

$3.26 MX$56.4

-28.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$2.49 MX$43.05

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.79 CA$60.9

$3.25 MX$56.1

1247.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.31 MX$22.59

-10.69%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-17.01%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-8.57%

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

$131 CA$182

$82.9 MX$1,432

57.62%

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

$53.2 CA$74.0

$22.22 MX$384

139.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 CA$86.3

$29.34 MX$507

111.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 CA$63.2

$51.6 MX$892

-11.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.28 CA$32.38

$18.32 MX$317

27.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 CA$15.60

$5.07 MX$87.5

121.30%

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

$952 CA$1,324

$201 MX$3,470

374.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K CA$33.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

359.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 CA$86.4

$36.92 MX$638

68.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 CA$96.5

$39.79 MX$688

74.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$78.5 MX$1,356

11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 CA$189

$87.1 MX$1,505

56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,733 CA$2,410

$973 MX$16.8K

78.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 CA$2,045

$468 MX$8,082

214.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 CA$3,671

$1,641 MX$28.4K

60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 CA$3,393

$1,221 MX$21.1K

99.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,745 CA$7,989

$3,946 MX$68.2K

45.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,546 CA$6,322

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-30.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,278 CA$4,559

$664 MX$11.5K

393.81%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,733 in Burlington versus $973 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 394% 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 $74.0 in Burlington versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 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 114%, 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 $4,167 per month in Burlington and $1,945 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 $952 per month in Burlington and $201 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 50% 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 $1,297, than in Burlington at $2,778. 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.