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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Calgary versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Calgary versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,816 in Calgary versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Calgary is roughly 93% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 82% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$26.12

$11.95 MX$208

54.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$99.6

$41.94 MX$730

68.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 CA$15.55

$10.42 MX$181

5.85%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.48

$3.51 MX$61.2

10.54%

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

$1.97 CA$2.79

$1.52 MX$26.39

29.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$0.91 MX$15.85

82.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.19 CA$7.32

$3.04 MX$52.9

70.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.28

$4.37 MX$76.1

50.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.11

$1.42 MX$24.73

55.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.77

$1.83 MX$31.87

45.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.72

$1.63 MX$28.45

105.52%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.78

$2.54 MX$44.20

33.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.59 CA$20.58

$8.57 MX$149

70.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.95 CA$18.27

$8.49 MX$148

52.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.84 CA$22.34

$10.80 MX$188

46.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.07

$2.75 MX$47.95

56.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.84

$1.44 MX$25.00

-9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.47

$1.89 MX$32.84

105.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.96

$2.17 MX$37.77

94.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.78 MX$30.97

43.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.84

$2.22 MX$38.71

22.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.87

$1.07 MX$18.60

156.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CA$2.73

$1.08 MX$18.79

78.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.00 CA$21.15

$4.15 MX$72.2

261.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 CA$20.69

$10.45 MX$182

40.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$1.74 MX$30.34

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.68

$2.58 MX$44.93

56.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.79 CA$3.94

$0.51 MX$8.94

447.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$121

$25.94 MX$452

230.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$5.06

$3.21 MX$55.9

11.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 CA$1.91

$2.50 MX$43.55

-46.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.84 CA$40.68

$3.19 MX$55.4

804.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.53

$1.26 MX$21.87

-14.29%

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

$25.4K CA$35.8K

$29.7K MX$516.7K

-14.46%

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

$21.7K CA$30.6K

$23.7K MX$412.2K

-8.47%

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

$216 CA$304

$82.0 MX$1,428

162.77%

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

$41.66 CA$58.8

$22.73 MX$396

83.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.7 CA$82.8

$29.42 MX$512

99.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.6 CA$75.6

$52.2 MX$908

2.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.1 CA$73.5

$18.45 MX$321

182.38%

Cinema Ticket

$12.72 CA$17.95

$4.93 MX$85.9

158.01%

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

$885 CA$1,248

$202 MX$3,512

338.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

202.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 CA$81.7

$35.93 MX$625

61.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.31 CA$66.7

$40.33 MX$702

17.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 CA$124

$79.9 MX$1,390

10.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$151

$89.3 MX$1,554

20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 CA$1,929

$948 MX$16.5K

44.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,666

$465 MX$8,098

153.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,364 CA$3,335

$1,630 MX$28.4K

45.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,872 CA$2,641

$1,193 MX$20.8K

56.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,737 CA$5,270

$3,933 MX$68.5K

-5.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,424 CA$4,829

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-46.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,999 CA$4,229

$658 MX$11.5K

355.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Calgary: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,368 in Calgary and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 356% 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: $71.0 in Calgary vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $252 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 356% higher in Calgary, 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: $1,368 in Calgary versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Calgary versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,432 in Calgary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Calgary. 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 Calgary, 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 93% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.