Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,391 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,444 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,497 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 89% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge Bay is 77% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.58 CA$32.30

$11.61 MX$201

103.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 CA$96.0

$42.75 MX$740

63.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.22

$10.60 MX$184

4.81%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.02

$3.59 MX$62.2

2.23%

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

$2.06 CA$2.83

$1.45 MX$25.15

42.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.32

$0.90 MX$15.55

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.60 CA$7.67

$3.03 MX$52.5

84.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 CA$8.28

$4.56 MX$79.0

32.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.87

$1.45 MX$25.14

44.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.58

$1.83 MX$31.64

42.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.78

$1.61 MX$27.85

116.77%

Eggs

$3.37 CA$4.62

$2.54 MX$43.95

32.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.01 CA$15.09

$8.54 MX$148

28.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 CA$15.87

$8.47 MX$147

36.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.38

$10.86 MX$188

37.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.45

$2.73 MX$47.26

45.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$1.49 MX$25.85

-6.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.05

$1.94 MX$33.65

89.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.17

$2.16 MX$37.49

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$1.85 MX$31.97

34.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$2.19 MX$37.91

15.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.61

$1.07 MX$18.58

146.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.34

$1.08 MX$18.76

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.77 CA$18.87

$4.06 MX$70.3

239.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 CA$19.34

$10.46 MX$181

34.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.02

$1.65 MX$28.64

78.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.12

$2.55 MX$44.13

18.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.16

$0.56 MX$9.63

312.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$86.4

$26.20 MX$454

140.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 CA$4.46

$3.14 MX$54.4

3.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.02

$2.37 MX$41.08

-37.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.78 CA$35.32

$3.24 MX$56.1

695.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.54

$1.31 MX$22.76

-14.50%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$30.5K MX$528.9K

-17.59%

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

$20.9K CA$28.6K

$23.8K MX$412.6K

-12.29%

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

$141 CA$193

$83.1 MX$1,440

69.56%

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

$43.08 CA$59.0

$22.15 MX$384

94.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 CA$86.7

$29.37 MX$509

115.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.53 CA$56.9

$51.2 MX$887

-18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 CA$15.55

$4.89 MX$84.7

132.11%

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

$746 CA$1,022

$199 MX$3,441

275.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.4K

$5,207 MX$90.2K

130.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 CA$74.1

$35.93 MX$622

50.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 CA$53.8

$39.39 MX$682

-0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$118

$80.3 MX$1,391

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$148

$87.6 MX$1,517

23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 CA$1,805

$963 MX$16.7K

36.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 CA$1,614

$482 MX$8,350

144.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 CA$2,710

$1,645 MX$28.5K

20.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,782 CA$2,442

$1,192 MX$20.6K

49.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,344 CA$5,951

$3,957 MX$68.5K

9.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,392 CA$4,647

$6,513 MX$112.8K

-47.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Cambridge Bay and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70 in Cambridge Bay vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 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

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

Cambridge Bay and Playa del Carmen differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($2,391 vs $1,262 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,586 in Cambridge Bay and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,318 in Cambridge Bay versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,391 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 141% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. 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 89% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.