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: $2,042 in Chatham-Kent versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,031 in Chatham-Kent versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,021 in Chatham-Kent versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chatham-Kent is roughly 57% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chatham-Kent is 52% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.50 CA$20.08
$11.73 MX$203
23.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.7 CA$91.0
$41.62 MX$720
57.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.54 CA$13.20
$10.64 MX$184
-10.34%
Cappuccino
$3.10 CA$4.29
$3.52 MX$60.9
-11.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 CA$2.17
$1.51 MX$26.12
3.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 CA$2.21
$0.97 MX$16.84
64.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.63 CA$7.80
$2.95 MX$51.0
90.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 CA$8.35
$4.45 MX$77.0
35.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 CA$3.10
$1.38 MX$23.93
62.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.23 CA$3.09
$1.89 MX$32.72
17.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.72
$1.64 MX$28.32
64.02%
Eggs
$3.03 CA$4.19
$2.51 MX$43.34
20.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.32 CA$11.52
$8.34 MX$144
-0.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.64 CA$16.11
$8.34 MX$144
39.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.93 CA$16.51
$10.73 MX$186
11.18%
Apples (1kg)
$4.03 CA$5.58
$2.60 MX$45.04
55.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.17 CA$1.63
$1.46 MX$25.20
-19.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.32 CA$4.60
$1.90 MX$32.87
74.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.65 CA$5.05
$2.08 MX$35.91
75.48%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 CA$3.27
$1.78 MX$30.71
32.58%
Onion (1kg)
$2.81 CA$3.89
$2.19 MX$37.80
28.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.03 CA$2.81
$1.04 MX$17.99
95.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 CA$2.19
$1.08 MX$18.62
46.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.11 CA$15.39
$4.08 MX$70.6
172.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 CA$14.10
$10.32 MX$178
-1.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 CA$1.64
$1.71 MX$29.61
-30.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 CA$3.82
$2.58 MX$44.54
6.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.81 CA$2.51
$0.51 MX$8.81
254.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.7 CA$85.4
$26.46 MX$458
133.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.18 CA$3.02
$3.26 MX$56.4
-33.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.68 CA$2.33
$2.49 MX$43.09
-32.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.64 CA$25.81
$3.25 MX$56.2
473.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 CA$1.46
$1.31 MX$22.61
-19.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K CA$34.6K
$30.3K MX$523.7K
-17.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.4K CA$28.2K
$23.4K MX$405.3K
-13.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$187 CA$259
$82.9 MX$1,433
125.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.25 CA$51.6
$22.22 MX$384
67.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.7 CA$77.1
$29.34 MX$507
89.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.95 CA$20.71
$51.6 MX$893
-71.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.32 MX$317
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.15 CA$14.05
$5.07 MX$87.6
100.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$547 CA$757
$201 MX$3,473
172.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K CA$14.2K
$5,212 MX$90.1K
97.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.0 CA$73.4
$36.92 MX$639
43.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.11 CA$36.16
$39.79 MX$688
-34.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.3 CA$96.0
$78.5 MX$1,357
-11.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9 CA$123
$87.1 MX$1,506
2.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,464 CA$2,028
$973 MX$16.8K
50.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,029 CA$1,425
$468 MX$8,090
120.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,833 CA$2,538
$1,641 MX$28.4K
11.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,650 CA$2,285
$1,221 MX$21.1K
35.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,946 MX$68.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,498 MX$112.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chatham-Kent
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,169 CA$4,388
$664 MX$11.5K
377.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
11.42
-49.74%

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

Last update for Chatham-Kent: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,464 in Chatham-Kent and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chatham-Kent pays 377% 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: $66.0 in Chatham-Kent vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 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
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 57% 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 Playa del Carmen?
Chatham-Kent pays 377% more on average, 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 vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,464 in Chatham-Kent versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Chatham-Kent vs Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $66.0 in Chatham-Kent. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Chatham-Kent compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $2,042 per month in Chatham-Kent versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 57% 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 Playa del Carmen?
At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,042 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 $1,297 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 57% less than in Chatham-Kent. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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