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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,777 in Burnaby versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,049 in Burnaby versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,321 in Burnaby versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Burnaby is roughly 121% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Burnaby is 108% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 CA$20.88

$11.99 MX$209

23.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 CA$105

$41.78 MX$728

79.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 CA$13.02

$10.75 MX$187

-13.95%

Cappuccino

$4.24 CA$5.97

$3.50 MX$60.9

21.14%

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

$1.80 CA$2.53

$1.45 MX$25.22

24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$0.88 MX$15.41

52.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 CA$8.37

$2.95 MX$51.3

101.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.98

$4.51 MX$78.6

25.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$1.43 MX$24.94

74.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.87

$1.84 MX$31.99

49.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 CA$6.55

$1.57 MX$27.31

196.82%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.60

$2.51 MX$43.74

30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 CA$17.54

$8.28 MX$144

50.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 CA$16.47

$8.43 MX$147

38.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.40 CA$30.12

$10.68 MX$186

100.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 CA$4.72

$2.61 MX$45.43

28.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.88

$1.44 MX$25.04

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.27

$1.96 MX$34.16

54.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.42

$2.09 MX$36.47

84.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.10

$1.85 MX$32.24

57.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.17 MX$37.74

41.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$1.03 MX$17.96

139.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 CA$2.68

$1.07 MX$18.70

78.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.81 CA$20.84

$4.10 MX$71.4

261.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 CA$18.22

$10.17 MX$177

27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 CA$3.50

$1.68 MX$29.17

48.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$2.53 MX$43.98

0.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 CA$3.19

$0.51 MX$8.87

345.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.6 CA$109

$26.04 MX$453

197.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.85

$3.23 MX$56.3

-15.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$2.41 MX$41.88

-43.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.16 CA$36.82

$3.23 MX$56.2

709.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.32 MX$23.00

3.79%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-14.61%

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

$20.1K CA$28.3K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-14.87%

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

$136 CA$192

$82.0 MX$1,428

66.08%

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

$41.79 CA$58.8

$22.95 MX$400

82.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.8 CA$77.1

$30.11 MX$524

81.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.21 CA$43.91

$52.0 MX$905

-39.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.36 CA$7.54

$18.53 MX$323

-71.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 CA$22.70

$4.98 MX$86.6

223.90%

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

$534 CA$752

$197 MX$3,438

170.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,169 CA$11.5K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

53.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 CA$77.1

$35.60 MX$620

53.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 CA$75.7

$40.33 MX$702

33.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$133

$78.8 MX$1,371

19.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 CA$133

$88.9 MX$1,549

6.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CA$2,651

$947 MX$16.5K

98.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 CA$2,321

$474 MX$8,254

248.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,117 CA$5,793

$1,644 MX$28.6K

150.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 CA$3,768

$1,211 MX$21.1K

121.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,680 CA$9,400

$4,056 MX$70.6K

64.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,538 CA$7,792

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-14.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,116 CA$4,385

$654 MX$11.4K

376.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Burnaby: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,884 in Burnaby and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burnaby pays 377% 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: $75.0 in Burnaby vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $249 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

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

Burnaby and Playa del Carmen differ by about 121% in total monthly costs ($2,777 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 377% higher in Burnaby, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,884 in Burnaby versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $534 in Burnaby versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Burnaby. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,777 in Burnaby, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Burnaby. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Burnaby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.