Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Courtenay and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,184 in Courtenay, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

104

Cost of Living Index in Courtenay
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Courtenay Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Courtenay

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,184

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Courtenay 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 Courtenay and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Courtenay vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Courtenay $2,184
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Courtenay vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Courtenay $3,080
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,975 per month in Courtenay vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Courtenay $3,975
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Courtenay costs about 81% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Courtenay sits 60% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.38 CA$20.09

$10.92 MX$205

31.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 CA$79.9

$43.37 MX$815

31.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 CA$13.64

$11.78 MX$221

-17.15%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.14

$3.81 MX$71.6

-3.41%

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

$2.04 CA$2.85

$1.28 MX$24.10

59.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.17

$0.78 MX$14.71

98.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$8.09

$3.17 MX$59.5

82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.02

$4.93 MX$92.7

16.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$1.41 MX$26.43

70.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 CA$2.87

$2.22 MX$41.66

-7.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 CA$2.91

$1.42 MX$26.64

46.48%

Eggs

$3.20 CA$4.47

$2.52 MX$47.41

26.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.20

$7.26 MX$137

40.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.20 CA$12.85

$7.70 MX$145

19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.79 CA$27.64

$12.69 MX$239

55.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.61

$2.78 MX$52.3

18.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.37 MX$25.71

-4.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 CA$3.28

$2.55 MX$47.94

-7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.29

$2.12 MX$39.90

44.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$1.94 MX$36.43

36.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CA$3.00

$1.89 MX$35.44

13.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 CA$2.89

$1.15 MX$21.55

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.18 MX$22.16

38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.84

$4.30 MX$80.7

230.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 CA$15.22

$9.95 MX$187

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$1.58 MX$29.76

63.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.40

$2.67 MX$50.2

-8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 CA$2.71

$0.55 MX$10.40

252.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.49 CA$59.4

$26.62 MX$500

59.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.84

$4.97 MX$93.4

-44.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$3.33 MX$62.6

-57.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.82 CA$24.89

$5.36 MX$101

232.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.44 MX$27.14

-11.11%

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

$20.8K CA$29.1K

$20.7K MX$388.4K

0.87%

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

$18.2K CA$25.5K

$23.5K MX$441.0K

-22.23%

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

$139 CA$194

$84.8 MX$1,594

63.85%

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

$36.71 CA$51.3

$23.41 MX$440

56.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 CA$91.3

$28.66 MX$539

127.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 CA$59.2

$57.1 MX$1,072

-25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.49 CA$53.8

$28.91 MX$543

33.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 CA$15.06

$5.14 MX$96.6

109.73%

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

$648 CA$906

$207 MX$3,882

213.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K CA$17.2K

$3,927 MX$73.8K

213.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 CA$79.5

$43.35 MX$815

31.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.43 CA$63.5

$41.44 MX$779

9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 CA$110

$74.2 MX$1,394

5.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 CA$83.5

$89.3 MX$1,677

-33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 CA$1,703

$980 MX$18.4K

24.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 CA$1,588

$381 MX$7,157

198.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 CA$2,854

$1,708 MX$32.1K

19.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,277

$1,075 MX$20.2K

51.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,318 CA$7,429

$3,943 MX$74.1K

34.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,239 CA$4,525

$735 MX$13.8K

340.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

11.45

-57.47%

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

Last update for Courtenay: October 26, 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

Courtenay

$1.1K 52.1%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 66.5% $756

Groceries & Markets

Courtenay

$331 15.1%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 22.9% $76

Eating Out

Courtenay

$243 11.1%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 16.8% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Courtenay

$241 11%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 43.2% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Courtenay

$108 5%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 3.2% $3.5

Sport & Entertainment

Courtenay

$64 2.9%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 5.3% $3.4

Getting Around

Courtenay

$60 2.8%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 15.9% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,219 in Courtenay versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Courtenay are about 4.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Courtenay versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Courtenay

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

00:33 12:33 AM

02:33 2:33 AM

2 h ahead of Courtenay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,599

149,923

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.641 EUR

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 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 = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.97 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Courtenay Playa del Carmen 4,640 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Courtenay
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

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

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 81%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,276 per month in Courtenay and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,219 in Courtenay.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Courtenay, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Courtenay and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Courtenay at $2,184. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Courtenay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.