Cost of Living Comparison Between Chatham-Kent and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chatham-Kent and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,989 in Chatham-Kent versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,837 in Chatham-Kent versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,685 in Chatham-Kent versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chatham-Kent is roughly 52% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chatham-Kent is 44% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.96 CA$24.90
$11.96 MX$203
50.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.0 CA$79.1
$47.38 MX$804
20.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.16 CA$14.09
$11.75 MX$199
-13.53%
Cappuccino
$2.96 CA$4.10
$4.12 MX$70.0
-28.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.23
$1.40 MX$23.75
14.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 CA$1.86
$0.91 MX$15.48
47.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.16 CA$7.15
$3.21 MX$54.4
60.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.83 CA$8.08
$7.07 MX$120
-17.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 CA$1.54
$1.68 MX$28.46
-33.93%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 CA$2.21
$2.15 MX$36.50
-26.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.52 CA$3.50
$1.77 MX$30.11
42.37%
Eggs
$2.87 CA$3.99
$2.82 MX$47.78
1.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.32 CA$15.70
$9.20 MX$156
23.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.56 CA$21.58
$9.23 MX$157
68.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.42 CA$22.77
$12.64 MX$214
29.91%
Apples (1kg)
$3.68 CA$5.10
$2.95 MX$50.1
24.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 CA$1.63
$1.58 MX$26.80
-25.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.62 CA$5.02
$2.22 MX$37.72
63.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.61 CA$5.01
$2.36 MX$40.11
52.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.35 CA$1.87
$1.99 MX$33.82
-32.16%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 CA$2.58
$1.98 MX$33.60
-6.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.71 CA$2.37
$1.24 MX$21.05
37.90%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 CA$1.78
$1.21 MX$20.56
5.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.84 CA$17.81
$4.60 MX$78.1
179.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.12 CA$14.03
$10.52 MX$179
-3.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 CA$1.63
$1.69 MX$28.71
-30.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 CA$1.62
$2.77 MX$47.09
-57.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 CA$2.46
$0.60 MX$10.23
195.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.70 MX$504
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.51 CA$3.48
$5.24 MX$88.9
-52.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 CA$2.44
$3.65 MX$61.9
-51.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.32 CA$40.67
$5.78 MX$98.2
407.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 CA$1.52
$1.54 MX$26.11
-28.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K CA$39.4K
$22.8K MX$387.0K
24.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.2K CA$26.6K
$25.8K MX$438.1K
-25.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 CA$200
$90.7 MX$1,539
59.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.80 CA$41.32
$25.19 MX$428
18.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.12 CA$64.0
$31.75 MX$539
45.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$68.8 MX$1,168
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.37 MX$498
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.48 CA$15.92
$4.86 MX$82.5
136.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$555 CA$769
$226 MX$3,830
145.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.3K CA$22.6K
$4,194 MX$71.2K
287.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.0 CA$79.1
$47.38 MX$804
20.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.74 CA$42.63
$43.45 MX$737
-29.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.8 CA$115
$80.2 MX$1,362
3.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.7 CA$104
$91.4 MX$1,551
-18.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 CA$1,938
$1,086 MX$18.4K
28.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$999 CA$1,386
$409 MX$6,936
144.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,796 CA$2,491
$1,972 MX$33.5K
-8.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,602 CA$2,221
$1,281 MX$21.7K
24.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,046 MX$68.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,704 MX$113.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,194 CA$4,430
$773 MX$13.1K
313.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.05
11.45
-55.90%

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

Last update for Chatham-Kent: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,397 in Chatham-Kent and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chatham-Kent pays 313% 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: $57.0 in Chatham-Kent vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $278 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
Chatham-Kent vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chatham-Kent or Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 52% lower than in Chatham-Kent. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Chatham-Kent or in Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 313% higher in Chatham-Kent, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Chatham-Kent compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,397 in Chatham-Kent versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Chatham-Kent or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Chatham-Kent. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Chatham-Kent compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,989 per month in Chatham-Kent versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Chatham-Kent or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,989 in Chatham-Kent, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Chatham-Kent. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chatham-Kent or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Chatham-Kent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Chatham-Kent vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities