Cost of Living Comparison Between Campbell River and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Campbell River and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,616 in Campbell River versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,770 in Campbell River versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,924 in Campbell River versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Campbell River is roughly 102% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Campbell River is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.75 CA$26.05

$11.73 MX$203

59.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 CA$103

$41.62 MX$721

77.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.05 CA$15.36

$10.64 MX$184

3.85%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.52

$3.52 MX$61.0

12.78%

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

$2.38 CA$3.31

$1.51 MX$26.17

57.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$0.97 MX$16.87

12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 CA$7.07

$2.95 MX$51.1

72.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 CA$8.94

$4.45 MX$77.2

44.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$1.38 MX$23.97

118.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 CA$4.48

$1.89 MX$32.78

70.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.20

$1.64 MX$28.37

215.85%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.01

$2.51 MX$43.42

72.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.46 CA$11.76

$8.34 MX$145

1.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 CA$13.57

$8.34 MX$145

17.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.63 CA$21.71

$10.73 MX$186

45.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.58

$2.60 MX$45.12

26.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.21

$1.46 MX$25.25

8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.98

$1.90 MX$32.94

88.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.08 MX$35.98

79.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.34

$1.78 MX$30.77

115.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$2.19 MX$37.87

37.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$1.04 MX$18.02

167.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$1.08 MX$18.66

153.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 CA$21.40

$4.08 MX$70.7

277.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.85 CA$24.80

$10.32 MX$179

72.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.47

$1.71 MX$29.67

130.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 CA$6.18

$2.58 MX$44.63

72.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$0.51 MX$8.83

184.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$86.0

$26.46 MX$459

133.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 CA$3.93

$3.26 MX$56.5

-13.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$2.49 MX$43.17

-44.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.26 CA$46.21

$3.25 MX$56.3

923.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.88

$1.31 MX$22.65

3.05%

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

$25.4K CA$35.3K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-16.14%

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

$21.3K CA$29.6K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-9.16%

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

$54.4 CA$75.6

$82.9 MX$1,436

-34.32%

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

$53.5 CA$74.3

$22.22 MX$385

140.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 CA$102

$29.34 MX$508

151.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.56 CA$67.5

$51.6 MX$895

-5.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.16

$5.07 MX$87.8

115.19%

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

$634 CA$881

$201 MX$3,480

215.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K CA$19.5K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

168.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.58 CA$63.3

$36.92 MX$640

23.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.85 CA$62.3

$39.79 MX$689

12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 CA$105

$78.5 MX$1,360

-4.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 CA$131

$87.1 MX$1,509

8.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 CA$2,157

$973 MX$16.9K

59.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 CA$2,094

$468 MX$8,105

222.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 CA$3,489

$1,641 MX$28.4K

52.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,289 CA$3,181

$1,221 MX$21.2K

87.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,365 CA$3,286

$664 MX$11.5K

256.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

11.42

-44.13%

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

Last update for Campbell River: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,552 in Campbell River and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Campbell River pays 256% 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: $74.0 in Campbell River vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $249 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Campbell River. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Campbell River pays 256% 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: $1,552 in Campbell River versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 134% less than in Campbell River. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $634 in Campbell River versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,616 in Campbell River, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Campbell River. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,297 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Campbell River. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.