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: $2,800 in Coquitlam versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,925 in Coquitlam versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,050 in Coquitlam versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 121% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coquitlam is 105% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.79 CA$23.34

$11.60 MX$199

44.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.0

$47.11 MX$807

51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 CA$15.13

$11.88 MX$204

-8.33%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.66

$3.98 MX$68.1

2.26%

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

$2.17 CA$3.02

$1.43 MX$24.45

51.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$0.82 MX$14.13

107.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.71 CA$7.94

$3.19 MX$54.6

79.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 CA$9.11

$6.79 MX$116

-3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.68 MX$28.71

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$2.20 MX$37.64

22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.87

$1.71 MX$29.27

62.57%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.27

$2.74 MX$46.96

38.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 CA$14.17

$9.58 MX$164

6.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 CA$18.83

$9.01 MX$154

50.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.57 CA$28.60

$12.81 MX$219

60.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 CA$5.83

$2.89 MX$49.49

44.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.50 MX$25.65

-7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$2.15 MX$36.80

80.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.74

$2.26 MX$38.71

82.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.23

$1.98 MX$33.93

-18.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.89

$1.99 MX$34.09

40.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.23 MX$21.15

114.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.20 MX$20.50

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.52 CA$21.58

$4.55 MX$78.0

241.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 CA$16.97

$10.37 MX$178

17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$1.62 MX$27.74

64.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$2.88 MX$49.35

3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$0.60 MX$10.29

268.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 CA$103

$28.80 MX$493

157.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.80

$5.39 MX$92.3

-49.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$3.73 MX$63.9

-63.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.02 CA$34.78

$5.77 MX$98.9

333.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.54 MX$26.32

-17.53%

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

$26.3K CA$36.6K

$22.5K MX$386.3K

16.80%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$26.1K MX$446.5K

-24.59%

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

$78.3 CA$109

$91.4 MX$1,566

-14.36%

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

$35.42 CA$49.23

$25.20 MX$432

40.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.71 CA$69.1

$31.24 MX$535

59.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.64 CA$30.08

$67.2 MX$1,151

-67.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.61 CA$14.75

$29.11 MX$499

-63.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.25

$4.86 MX$83.3

125.72%

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

$1,102 CA$1,532

$224 MX$3,832

392.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$4,229 MX$72.5K

186.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$47.10 MX$807

21.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 CA$47.89

$44.29 MX$759

-22.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$80.1 MX$1,373

9.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.3 CA$127

$92.7 MX$1,588

-1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 CA$2,778

$1,063 MX$18.2K

88.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 CA$2,427

$390 MX$6,686

347.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,662 CA$5,090

$2,149 MX$36.8K

70.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,658 CA$3,695

$1,272 MX$21.8K

108.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,267 CA$8,712

$4,001 MX$68.6K

56.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,020 CA$6,979

$6,502 MX$111.4K

-22.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,057 CA$4,250

$758 MX$13.0K

303.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

11.45

-63.23%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,998 in Coquitlam and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays 303% 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: $71.0 in Coquitlam vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $276 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 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 303% higher in Coquitlam, 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: $1,998 in Coquitlam versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,800 per month in Coquitlam versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 121% 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 157% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,800 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 121% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.