Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coquitlam and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,586 in Coquitlam, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

124

Cost of Living Index in Coquitlam
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Coquitlam Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Coquitlam

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,586

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Coquitlam and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Coquitlam and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,586 in Coquitlam versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

Coquitlam $2,586
Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,784 in Coquitlam versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Coquitlam $3,784
Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,983 in Coquitlam versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

Coquitlam $4,983
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Living in Coquitlam is roughly 115% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Coquitlam is 90% above, Playa del Carmen is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.62 CA$23.23

$10.92 MX$205

52.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.0 CA$101

$43.37 MX$813

65.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 CA$14.93

$11.78 MX$221

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.49

$3.81 MX$71.4

3.15%

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

$2.14 CA$2.99

$1.28 MX$24.03

67.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.35

$0.78 MX$14.67

115.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 CA$7.81

$3.17 MX$59.3

76.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 CA$9.07

$4.93 MX$92.5

31.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.41 MX$26.35

-0.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.74

$2.22 MX$41.54

20.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$1.42 MX$26.56

88.03%

Eggs

$3.84 CA$5.37

$2.52 MX$47.27

52.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 CA$14.03

$7.26 MX$136

38.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.49

$7.70 MX$144

71.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.27 CA$28.33

$12.69 MX$238

59.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.59

$2.78 MX$52.2

43.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$1.37 MX$25.64

-0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.15

$2.55 MX$47.80

44.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.83

$2.12 MX$39.78

62.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 CA$1.52

$1.94 MX$36.32

-43.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.94

$1.89 MX$35.34

49.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.67

$1.15 MX$21.49

128.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 CA$1.47

$1.18 MX$22.09

-11.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.79 CA$22.07

$4.30 MX$80.5

267.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 CA$17.27

$9.95 MX$186

24.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.61

$1.58 MX$29.67

63.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$2.67 MX$50.1

13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$0.55 MX$10.37

316.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.0 CA$110

$26.62 MX$499

196.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.83

$4.97 MX$93.1

-44.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$3.33 MX$62.4

-59.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 CA$33.89

$5.36 MX$100

352.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CA$1.92

$1.44 MX$27.06

-4.86%

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

$25.9K CA$36.2K

$20.7K MX$387.3K

25.50%

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

$21.5K CA$30.1K

$23.5K MX$439.7K

-8.20%

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

$83.3 CA$116

$84.8 MX$1,589

-1.77%

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

$32.46 CA$45.37

$23.41 MX$439

38.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.7 CA$72.3

$28.66 MX$537

80.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.10 CA$19.71

$57.1 MX$1,069

-75.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 CA$14.76

$28.91 MX$542

-63.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 CA$14.84

$5.14 MX$96.3

106.61%

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

$388 CA$543

$207 MX$3,871

88.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$3,927 MX$73.6K

196.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$43.35 MX$812

34.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.10 CA$47.67

$41.44 MX$777

-17.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 CA$132

$74.2 MX$1,390

27.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 CA$132

$89.3 MX$1,672

5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 CA$2,536

$980 MX$18.4K

85.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,138

$381 MX$7,136

301.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,333 CA$4,658

$1,708 MX$32.0K

95.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 CA$3,472

$1,075 MX$20.1K

131.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,088 CA$8,509

$3,943 MX$73.9K

54.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,998 CA$6,986

$6,158 MX$115.4K

-18.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,143 CA$4,393

$735 MX$13.8K

327.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

11.45

-62.62%

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

Last update for Coquitlam: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Coquitlam

$1.5K 59.2%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 75.1% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Coquitlam

$360 13.9%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 29.2% $105

Eating Out

Coquitlam

$268 10.4%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 24.6% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Coquitlam

$167 6.5%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 18.3% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Coquitlam

$127 4.9%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 11.9% $15

Getting Around

Coquitlam

$98 3.8%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 48.4% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Coquitlam

$35 1.4%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 90.5% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,814 in Coquitlam and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coquitlam pays about 4.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $72 in Coquitlam vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $255 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Coquitlam

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

11:25 11:25 AM

13:25 1:25 PM

2 h ahead of Coquitlam

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

148,625

149,923

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.715 USD

1 CAD = 0.641 EUR

100 MXN = 5.34 USD

100 MXN = 4.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 20.91 MXN (100 MXN = 4.78 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Coquitlam Playa del Carmen 4,480 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Coquitlam
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 53% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay in Coquitlam is about 4.3 times higher, 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: $1,814 in Coquitlam versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $2,586 per month in Coquitlam versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen is about 53% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 66% less than in Coquitlam. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,586 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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.