Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlottetown and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Charlottetown and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,997 per month in Charlottetown vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,969 per month in Charlottetown vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,941 per month in Charlottetown vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Charlottetown costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Charlottetown sits 46% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.61 CA$20.14

$13.02 MX$221

12.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.5 CA$84.8

$46.25 MX$784

33.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.84 CA$13.56

$12.59 MX$213

-21.84%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.09

$4.00 MX$67.9

-7.50%

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

$1.78 CA$2.45

$1.42 MX$24.08

25.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.84

$0.81 MX$13.73

65.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 CA$8.10

$3.05 MX$51.7

92.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.78 CA$7.97

$6.82 MX$116

-15.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.24

$1.71 MX$29.04

37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 CA$4.25

$2.22 MX$37.62

38.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.07 CA$6.99

$1.72 MX$29.13

194.77%

Eggs

$4.11 CA$5.66

$2.71 MX$45.99

51.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 CA$16.20

$9.37 MX$159

25.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.82 CA$21.80

$8.86 MX$150

78.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.94 CA$24.71

$12.78 MX$217

40.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.93

$3.13 MX$53.0

14.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.55 MX$26.24

-7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.45

$2.15 MX$36.51

84.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.78

$2.35 MX$39.89

109.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 CA$2.35

$2.02 MX$34.23

-15.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.41

$1.99 MX$33.67

60.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 CA$3.92

$1.24 MX$21.09

129.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.77

$1.19 MX$20.21

68.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.36 CA$25.29

$4.65 MX$78.8

294.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.96 CA$19.23

$10.47 MX$177

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.51

$1.58 MX$26.82

107.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.52

$2.92 MX$49.48

12.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 CA$1.93

$0.56 MX$9.53

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.63 CA$20.16

$29.76 MX$504

-50.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 CA$10.69

$5.32 MX$90.2

45.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 CA$2.95

$3.72 MX$63.0

-42.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.94 CA$39.87

$5.78 MX$97.9

400.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.72

$1.55 MX$26.27

-19.35%

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

$28.7K CA$39.5K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

28.22%

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

$19.6K CA$27.0K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-23.51%

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

$129 CA$178

$89.3 MX$1,513

44.80%

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

$33.36 CA$45.97

$23.30 MX$395

43.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 CA$103

$31.72 MX$538

135.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 CA$82.9

$68.8 MX$1,165

-12.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.65 CA$5.03

$29.40 MX$498

-87.59%

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 CA$15.04

$5.06 MX$85.7

115.61%

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

$164 CA$226

$222 MX$3,765

-26.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.44 CA$55.7

$46.21 MX$783

-12.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.05 CA$46.92

$44.43 MX$753

-23.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.5 CA$115

$95.5 MX$1,618

-12.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 CA$183

$92.5 MX$1,568

43.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 CA$1,538

$1,069 MX$18.1K

4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 CA$1,178

$393 MX$6,663

117.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 CA$2,476

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-9.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,923

$1,304 MX$22.1K

7.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,243 CA$4,468

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-19.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,026 CA$2,791

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-69.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,482 CA$3,420

$747 MX$12.7K

232.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

11.6

-60.52%

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

Last update for Charlottetown: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,116 in Charlottetown versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 232% higher in Charlottetown, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Charlottetown versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Charlottetown costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,995 per month in Charlottetown and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,997 in Charlottetown and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Charlottetown at $1,997. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charlottetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,330 versus $1,997 in Charlottetown. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Charlottetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.