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: $2,306 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,399 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,492 in Cambridge Bay versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Cambridge Bay is roughly 73% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cambridge Bay is 68% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.19 CA$31.95

$13.02 MX$221

78.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 CA$92.9

$46.25 MX$784

45.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.53 CA$13.13

$12.59 MX$213

-24.31%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.66

$4.00 MX$67.9

2.75%

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

$2.03 CA$2.80

$1.42 MX$24.08

42.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.35

$0.81 MX$13.73

111.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.64 CA$6.39

$3.05 MX$51.7

52.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 CA$6.87

$6.82 MX$116

-26.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 CA$2.88

$1.71 MX$29.04

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$2.22 MX$37.62

14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.22

$1.72 MX$29.13

120.35%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.92

$2.71 MX$45.99

31.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 CA$13.93

$9.37 MX$159

7.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 CA$13.66

$8.86 MX$150

11.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.82 CA$23.17

$12.78 MX$217

31.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.38

$3.13 MX$53.0

24.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.88

$1.55 MX$26.24

-12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.88

$2.15 MX$36.51

98.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.59

$2.35 MX$39.89

72.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$2.02 MX$34.23

31.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 CA$3.07

$1.99 MX$33.67

12.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CA$2.93

$1.24 MX$21.09

71.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.42

$1.19 MX$20.21

47.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.67 CA$18.83

$4.65 MX$78.8

193.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 CA$19.72

$10.47 MX$177

36.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.47

$1.58 MX$26.82

59.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.81

$2.92 MX$49.48

-5.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.19

$0.56 MX$9.53

314.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.7 CA$80.9

$29.76 MX$504

97.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.01

$5.32 MX$90.2

-45.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$3.72 MX$63.0

-65.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.93 CA$35.72

$5.78 MX$97.9

348.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.62

$1.55 MX$26.27

-23.87%

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

$31.8K CA$43.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

42.26%

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

$20.2K CA$27.8K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-20.99%

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

$160 CA$221

$89.3 MX$1,513

79.47%

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

$40.14 CA$55.3

$23.30 MX$395

72.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.9 CA$78.4

$31.72 MX$538

79.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.84 CA$59.0

$68.8 MX$1,165

-37.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.73

$29.40 MX$498

-41.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$15.97

$5.06 MX$85.7

129.05%

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

$707 CA$974

$222 MX$3,765

218.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.5K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

178.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CA$74.8

$46.21 MX$783

17.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.83 CA$47.99

$44.43 MX$753

-21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 CA$125

$95.5 MX$1,618

-4.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$152

$92.5 MX$1,568

19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 CA$1,729

$1,069 MX$18.1K

17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 CA$1,368

$393 MX$6,663

152.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,059 CA$2,838

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CA$2,526

$1,304 MX$22.1K

40.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,644 CA$6,398

$4,037 MX$68.4K

15.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,087 CA$5,631

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-38.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

11.6

-59.66%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,255 in Cambridge Bay and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $67.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $277 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 73% in total monthly costs ($2,306 vs $1,330 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 $3,459 in Cambridge Bay and $1,995 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: $1,255 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,306 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – a 73% 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 97% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,306 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 73% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.