Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cancun and Calgary

For one person, living is cheaper in Cancun: $1,616 a month against $2,297 in Calgary, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Cancun
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Cancun Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Calgary
Learn more

Calgary Living Index

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Cancun

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,616

/mo nomad

Calgary

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,297

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cancun and in Calgary

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,616 in Cancun versus $2,297 in Calgary.

Cancun $1,616
Calgary $2,297

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Cancun versus $3,378 in Calgary.

Cancun $2,436
Calgary $3,378

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,256 in Cancun versus $4,459 in Calgary.

Cancun $3,256
Calgary $4,459

Living in Cancun costs roughly 30% less than in Calgary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cancun 20% above, Calgary 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.70 MX$201

$17.94 CA$25.15

-40.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 MX$1,029

$68.9 CA$96.5

-20.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.45 MX$215

$10.94 CA$15.33

4.66%

Cappuccino

$3.65 MX$68.6

$3.70 CA$5.19

-1.35%

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

$1.30 MX$24.38

$2.07 CA$2.90

-37.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$15.26

$2.04 CA$2.86

-60.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$57.3

$5.74 CA$8.05

-46.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MX$80.1

$5.70 CA$7.99

-25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$31.58

$1.98 CA$2.77

-15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$47.24

$2.65 CA$3.71

-4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$31.13

$5.84 CA$8.18

-71.58%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$50.0

$3.81 CA$5.35

-30.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 MX$181

$10.81 CA$15.15

-10.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 MX$168

$11.02 CA$15.45

-18.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 MX$261

$17.87 CA$25.06

-22.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 MX$52.5

$4.88 CA$6.84

-42.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$30.45

$1.45 CA$2.03

11.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 MX$57.9

$4.15 CA$5.82

-25.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 MX$42.09

$3.99 CA$5.59

-43.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$36.08

$2.93 CA$4.10

-34.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.57

$3.02 CA$4.24

-37.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MX$22.06

$2.67 CA$3.74

-56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$23.35

$1.57 CA$2.20

-21.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MX$79.1

$14.11 CA$19.77

-70.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 MX$186

$15.45 CA$21.66

-35.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 MX$28.35

$2.50 CA$3.51

-39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MX$52.1

$3.18 CA$4.45

-12.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$12.79

$2.85 CA$3.99

-76.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.96 MX$732

$90.2 CA$126

-56.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$80.3

$3.16 CA$4.43

35.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.90 MX$54.5

$1.41 CA$1.97

105.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 MX$252

$27.46 CA$38.49

-51.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$28.71

$1.18 CA$1.66

29.66%

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

$24.5K MX$460.2K

$27.9K CA$39.1K

-12.03%

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

$23.4K MX$439.1K

$21.1K CA$29.5K

11.05%

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

$162 MX$3,041

$182 CA$255

-10.93%

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

$23.15 MX$435

$36.01 CA$50.5

-35.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.98 MX$694

$48.80 CA$68.4

-24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.72 MX$502

$48.78 CA$68.4

-45.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.93 MX$243

$18.15 CA$25.45

-28.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 MX$137

$14.52 CA$20.35

-49.79%

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

$206 MX$3,865

$542 CA$760

-62.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,429 MX$102.0K

$21.2K CA$29.7K

-74.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 MX$1,016

$59.1 CA$82.8

-8.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MX$1,024

$42.34 CA$59.4

28.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 MX$1,364

$94.2 CA$132

-22.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 MX$1,726

$109 CA$152

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$17.8K

$1,214 CA$1,702

-21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 MX$13.0K

$1,036 CA$1,453

-33.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 MX$32.3K

$2,045 CA$2,867

-16.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 MX$22.4K

$1,655 CA$2,319

-27.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,243 MX$23.3K

$3,653 CA$5,121

-65.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,879 MX$35.3K

$3,183 CA$4,462

-40.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$871 MX$16.4K

$3,219 CA$4,512

-72.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.43

158.47%

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

Last update for Cancun: November 1, 2026

Last update for Calgary: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cancun

$690 42.7%

Calgary

$1K 45.1% 50.2% $347

Groceries & Markets

Cancun

$284 17.6%

Calgary

$390 17% 37.3% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cancun

$222 13.7%

Calgary

$267 11.6% 20.1% $45

Eating Out

Cancun

$196 12.1%

Calgary

$277 12.1% 41.5% $81

Clothing & Footwear

Cancun

$123 7.6%

Calgary

$137 6% 11.4% $14

Getting Around

Cancun

$60 3.7%

Calgary

$112 4.9% 84.8% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Cancun

$41 2.6%

Calgary

$78 3.4% 88.4% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Cancun and $1,214 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays about 3.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $55 in Cancun vs $69 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 vs $390 per month, with Cancun cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Cancun

🇨🇦 Calgary

🕒 Local time

22:28 10:28 PM

21:28 9:28 PM

1 h behind Cancun

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

888,797

1,267,344

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.74 EUR

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cancun Calgary 4,080 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Cancun
Calgary

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

Cancun vs Calgary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cancun is about 30% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 73% lower in Cancun. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Cancun versus $1,214 in Calgary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cancun – a meal for two runs $55 versus $69 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,616 per month in Cancun versus $2,297 in Calgary – Cancun is about 30% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Cancun gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Cancun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.