Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calgary and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,255 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
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Calgary Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,255

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calgary and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calgary and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,255 in Calgary versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Calgary $2,255
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Calgary versus $2,102 in Playa del Carmen.

Calgary $3,361
Playa del Carmen $2,102

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,468 in Calgary versus $3,000 in Playa del Carmen.

Calgary $4,468
Playa del Carmen $3,000

Living in Calgary is roughly 87% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calgary is 66% above, Playa del Carmen is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.58 CA$24.85

$10.86 MX$201

61.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 CA$97.6

$44.21 MX$817

56.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 CA$14.97

$11.76 MX$217

-9.95%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.42

$3.68 MX$68.0

4.35%

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

$1.93 CA$2.72

$1.34 MX$24.79

44.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.66

$0.82 MX$15.24

129.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 CA$7.20

$3.06 MX$56.6

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 CA$7.97

$4.94 MX$91.2

14.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.82

$1.47 MX$27.17

36.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.93

$2.22 MX$40.95

25.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.59 CA$7.90

$1.48 MX$27.32

277.70%

Eggs

$3.70 CA$5.23

$2.49 MX$45.99

48.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.23

$7.52 MX$139

52.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.20 CA$15.84

$7.96 MX$147

40.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.59 CA$26.28

$12.57 MX$232

47.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 CA$6.64

$2.78 MX$51.3

69.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.43 MX$26.37

1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 CA$6.13

$2.62 MX$48.37

65.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.36

$2.14 MX$39.49

77.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.81

$2.02 MX$37.38

33.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 CA$3.88

$1.99 MX$36.74

38.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.62

$1.14 MX$21.01

124.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.12

$1.20 MX$22.18

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.39 CA$20.34

$4.26 MX$78.7

237.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 CA$22.35

$10.02 MX$185

57.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.49

$1.54 MX$28.41

60.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.39

$2.66 MX$49.17

16.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.97

$0.53 MX$9.73

430.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.6 CA$128

$27.51 MX$508

229.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 CA$4.64

$4.90 MX$90.6

-33.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.97

$3.43 MX$63.5

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.49 CA$37.45

$5.38 MX$99.4

392.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.45 MX$26.76

-15.86%

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

$28.4K CA$40.1K

$21.2K MX$391.0K

34.12%

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

$20.8K CA$29.5K

$23.0K MX$425.3K

-9.50%

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

$165 CA$233

$85.4 MX$1,577

92.88%

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

$38.24 CA$54.1

$23.46 MX$434

63.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 CA$70.9

$28.43 MX$525

76.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 CA$76.1

$62.2 MX$1,149

-13.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.04 CA$25.51

$28.68 MX$530

-37.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 CA$19.84

$5.10 MX$94.3

175.29%

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

$797 CA$1,126

$201 MX$3,715

296.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.3K

$3,947 MX$72.9K

300.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$83.5

$44.39 MX$820

33.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.20 CA$56.8

$41.35 MX$764

-2.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 CA$128

$72.7 MX$1,344

24.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$155

$89.6 MX$1,656

22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,707

$979 MX$18.1K

23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,429

$373 MX$6,887

171.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,949 CA$2,756

$1,681 MX$31.1K

15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CA$2,371

$1,095 MX$20.2K

53.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,532 CA$4,993

$3,949 MX$73.0K

-10.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,392 CA$4,795

$6,137 MX$113.4K

-44.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,152 CA$4,456

$738 MX$13.6K

327.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

11.45

-60.61%

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

Last update for Calgary: October 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calgary

$1K 44.8%

Playa del Carmen

$373 31% 63.1% $638

Groceries & Markets

Calgary

$392 17.4%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5% 34% $133

Eating Out

Calgary

$270 12%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6% 26% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calgary

$253 11.2%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 45.8% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Calgary

$135 6%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 17.2% $23

Getting Around

Calgary

$112 5%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3% 53.9% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Calgary

$82 3.6%

Playa del Carmen

$72 6% 11.6% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Calgary and $979 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 327% 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: $69.0 in Calgary vs $44.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Calgary

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

09:00 9:00 AM

10:00 10:00 AM

1 h ahead of Calgary

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,267,344

149,923

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Calgary Playa del Carmen 4,120 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Calgary
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, eating out, and clothing. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 327% 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: $1,207 in Calgary versus $979 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 $44.00 versus $69.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,255 per month in Calgary versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,255 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 87% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.