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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,949 in Coquitlam versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,123 in Coquitlam versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,297 in Coquitlam versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 127% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coquitlam is 120% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.48 CA$20.14

$11.73 MX$203

23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 CA$71.3

$41.62 MX$719

23.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 CA$14.45

$10.64 MX$184

-2.35%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.14

$3.52 MX$60.8

4.83%

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

$1.97 CA$2.74

$1.51 MX$26.09

30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$0.97 MX$16.82

116.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.22 CA$7.26

$2.95 MX$51.0

76.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 CA$8.06

$4.45 MX$77.0

30.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.38 MX$23.90

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$1.89 MX$32.69

58.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$1.64 MX$28.29

37.20%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.53

$2.51 MX$43.30

58.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 CA$14.62

$8.34 MX$144

26.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.67

$8.34 MX$144

95.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 CA$20.08

$10.73 MX$185

34.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.32

$2.60 MX$45.00

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.46 MX$25.18

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.07

$1.90 MX$32.84

167.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.35

$2.08 MX$35.88

119.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.23

$1.78 MX$30.68

-10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.46

$2.19 MX$37.76

-19.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$1.04 MX$17.97

186.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.08 MX$18.60

0.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 CA$19.62

$4.08 MX$70.5

245.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CA$17.29

$10.32 MX$178

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 CA$5.42

$1.71 MX$29.59

128.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.26

$2.58 MX$44.50

-9.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$0.51 MX$8.81

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 CA$108

$26.46 MX$457

194.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$3.26 MX$56.4

-15.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$2.49 MX$43.05

-36.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.93 CA$34.67

$3.25 MX$56.1

667.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.31 MX$22.59

4.58%

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

$24.5K CA$34.1K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-18.97%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-14.27%

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

$132 CA$184

$82.9 MX$1,432

59.82%

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

$36.68 CA$51.0

$22.22 MX$384

65.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 CA$84.7

$29.34 MX$507

107.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.85 CA$38.73

$51.6 MX$892

-46.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$18.32 MX$317

-39.14%

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 CA$15.58

$5.07 MX$87.5

120.91%

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

$1,230 CA$1,710

$201 MX$3,470

512.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

137.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 CA$98.3

$36.92 MX$638

91.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 CA$63.5

$39.79 MX$688

14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 CA$132

$78.5 MX$1,356

21.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$159

$87.1 MX$1,505

31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 CA$2,859

$973 MX$16.8K

111.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,817 CA$2,527

$468 MX$8,082

288.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,665 CA$5,097

$1,641 MX$28.4K

123.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 CA$3,727

$1,221 MX$21.1K

119.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,103 CA$8,487

$3,946 MX$68.2K

54.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,152 CA$7,165

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-20.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,140 CA$4,367

$664 MX$11.5K

372.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.42

-42.12%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,055 in Coquitlam and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 373% 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: $51.0 in Coquitlam vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $382 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Coquitlam pays 373% more on average, 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: $2,055 in Coquitlam versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,949 per month in Coquitlam versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 194% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,949 in Coquitlam, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Coquitlam. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Coquitlam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.