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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,189 in Chilliwack versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,259 in Chilliwack versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,329 in Chilliwack versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Chilliwack is roughly 74% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chilliwack is 64% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 CA$21.06

$11.99 MX$210

25.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 CA$102

$41.78 MX$733

73.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 CA$13.17

$10.75 MX$189

-12.56%

Cappuccino

$3.94 CA$5.52

$3.50 MX$61.3

12.57%

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

$2.22 CA$3.12

$1.45 MX$25.41

53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$0.88 MX$15.52

93.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 CA$8.35

$2.95 MX$51.7

102.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 CA$6.03

$4.51 MX$79.1

-4.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.09

$1.43 MX$25.12

53.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$1.84 MX$32.23

52.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$1.57 MX$27.51

68.79%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.16

$2.51 MX$44.06

46.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.55 CA$17.59

$8.28 MX$145

51.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.86 CA$16.63

$8.43 MX$148

40.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 CA$18.23

$10.68 MX$187

21.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.17

$2.61 MX$45.76

68.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.44 MX$25.22

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$1.96 MX$34.41

106.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.99

$2.09 MX$36.74

138.76%

Potato (1kg)

$4.20 CA$5.89

$1.85 MX$32.47

127.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.17 MX$38.02

36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CA$3.62

$1.03 MX$18.09

150.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.65

$1.07 MX$18.84

76.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.76 CA$22.09

$4.10 MX$72.0

284.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.81

$10.17 MX$178

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$1.68 MX$29.38

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.14

$2.53 MX$44.31

44.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$0.51 MX$8.93

284.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.88 CA$48.90

$26.04 MX$457

33.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$3.23 MX$56.7

-6.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$2.41 MX$42.19

-5.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.61 CA$35.90

$3.23 MX$56.6

692.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.74

$1.32 MX$23.17

-6.06%

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

$25.4K CA$35.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-14.32%

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

$20.1K CA$28.2K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-14.99%

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

$117 CA$165

$82.0 MX$1,439

43.14%

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

$45.10 CA$63.2

$22.95 MX$403

96.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$84.9

$30.11 MX$528

101.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.14 CA$53.5

$52.0 MX$912

-26.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.30 CA$25.66

$18.53 MX$325

-1.24%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 CA$16.75

$4.98 MX$87.3

139.96%

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

$530 CA$743

$197 MX$3,463

168.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K CA$24.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

229.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$84.8

$35.60 MX$624

69.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.30 CA$49.48

$40.33 MX$707

-12.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 CA$136

$78.8 MX$1,381

23.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$161

$88.9 MX$1,560

28.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 CA$1,654

$947 MX$16.6K

24.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 CA$1,516

$474 MX$8,314

128.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 CA$2,668

$1,644 MX$28.8K

15.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 CA$2,426

$1,211 MX$21.2K

42.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,257 CA$4,567

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-19.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,246 CA$4,551

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-49.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,123 CA$4,378

$654 MX$11.5K

377.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.65

11.42

-50.53%

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

Last update for Chilliwack: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,179 in Chilliwack and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chilliwack pays 378% 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: $73.0 in Chilliwack vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Chilliwack. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 378% higher in Chilliwack, 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: $1,179 in Chilliwack versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $530 in Chilliwack versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Chilliwack. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,189 in Chilliwack, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Chilliwack. 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 $1,256 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 74% less than in Chilliwack. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.