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: $2,433 in Calgary versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,642 in Calgary versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,850 in Calgary versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 81% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 CA$24.93

$11.61 MX$201

56.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$95.9

$42.75 MX$740

63.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$10.60 MX$184

3.87%

Cappuccino

$3.73 CA$5.11

$3.59 MX$62.2

3.90%

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

$1.98 CA$2.71

$1.45 MX$25.15

36.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$0.90 MX$15.55

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.22

$3.03 MX$52.5

73.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.11

$4.56 MX$79.0

45.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$2.94

$1.45 MX$25.14

48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$1.83 MX$31.64

46.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.66

$1.61 MX$27.85

111.18%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.49

$2.54 MX$43.95

29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.65 CA$20.07

$8.54 MX$148

71.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.61 CA$17.28

$8.47 MX$147

48.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 CA$22.10

$10.86 MX$188

48.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 CA$6.11

$2.73 MX$47.26

63.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$1.49 MX$25.85

-10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.11

$1.94 MX$33.65

92.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$2.16 MX$37.49

98.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.65

$1.85 MX$31.97

44.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.57

$2.19 MX$37.91

19.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.76

$1.07 MX$18.58

156.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CA$2.60

$1.08 MX$18.76

75.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 CA$20.52

$4.06 MX$70.3

268.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.59

$10.46 MX$181

36.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$1.65 MX$28.64

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 CA$5.44

$2.55 MX$44.13

55.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.67

$0.56 MX$9.63

378.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.9 CA$120

$26.20 MX$454

235.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 CA$4.88

$3.14 MX$54.4

13.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$2.37 MX$41.08

-43.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.30 CA$40.15

$3.24 MX$56.1

804.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.31 MX$22.76

-13.74%

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

$25.1K CA$34.4K

$30.5K MX$528.9K

-17.74%

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

$22.2K CA$30.4K

$23.8K MX$412.6K

-6.74%

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

$218 CA$299

$83.1 MX$1,440

162.20%

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

$41.44 CA$56.8

$22.15 MX$384

87.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.2 CA$79.7

$29.37 MX$509

98.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 CA$73.6

$51.2 MX$887

4.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.4 CA$71.8

$18.69 MX$324

180.26%

Cinema Ticket

$12.66 CA$17.34

$4.89 MX$84.7

158.90%

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

$885 CA$1,212

$199 MX$3,441

345.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K CA$22.0K

$5,207 MX$90.2K

208.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 CA$79.6

$35.93 MX$622

61.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.22 CA$66.1

$39.39 MX$682

22.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$121

$80.3 MX$1,391

10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$146

$87.6 MX$1,517

21.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,913

$963 MX$16.7K

44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,625

$482 MX$8,350

146.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,293 CA$3,142

$1,645 MX$28.5K

39.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 CA$2,547

$1,192 MX$20.6K

55.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 CA$5,178

$3,957 MX$68.5K

-4.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,509 CA$4,808

$6,513 MX$112.8K

-46.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,117 CA$4,271

$726 MX$12.6K

329.20%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,396 in Calgary and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 329% 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: $70 in Calgary vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $253 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.

Calgary pays 329% more on average, 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: $1,396 in Calgary versus $963 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 $43.00 versus $70.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,433 per month in Calgary versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,433 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.