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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,065 per month in Dartmouth vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,070 per month in Dartmouth vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,076 per month in Dartmouth vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dartmouth costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Dartmouth sits 51% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.01 CA$15.18

$13.02 MX$221

-15.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.5 CA$84.7

$46.25 MX$784

32.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 CA$9.88

$12.59 MX$213

-43.05%

Cappuccino

$3.65 CA$5.04

$4.00 MX$67.9

-8.75%

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

$2.01 CA$2.76

$1.42 MX$24.08

41.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.60

$0.81 MX$13.73

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.40 CA$6.07

$3.05 MX$51.7

44.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 CA$7.87

$6.82 MX$116

-16.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 CA$3.46

$1.71 MX$29.04

46.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 CA$3.02

$2.22 MX$37.62

-1.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.90

$1.72 MX$29.13

106.98%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.87

$2.71 MX$45.99

30.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 CA$10.52

$9.37 MX$159

-18.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 CA$13.40

$8.86 MX$150

9.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 CA$15.08

$12.78 MX$217

-14.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.05

$3.13 MX$53.0

17.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.55 MX$26.24

0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.68 CA$6.45

$2.15 MX$36.51

117.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.79 CA$7.98

$2.35 MX$39.89

146.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$2.02 MX$34.23

1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.94

$1.99 MX$33.67

7.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.47

$1.24 MX$21.09

103.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.90

$1.19 MX$20.21

77.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.70 CA$20.25

$4.65 MX$78.8

216.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 CA$20.01

$10.47 MX$177

38.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.75

$1.58 MX$26.82

118.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.55

$2.92 MX$49.48

38.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 CA$2.78

$0.56 MX$9.53

258.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$85.3

$29.76 MX$504

108.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 CA$4.08

$5.32 MX$90.2

-44.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.92

$3.72 MX$63.0

-62.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.26 CA$29.30

$5.78 MX$97.9

267.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.55 MX$26.27

-29.03%

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

$28.2K CA$38.8K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

26.05%

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

$19.9K CA$27.4K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-22.34%

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

$78.5 CA$108

$89.3 MX$1,513

-12.12%

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

$42.98 CA$59.2

$23.30 MX$395

84.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 CA$92.1

$31.72 MX$538

110.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.43 CA$50.2

$68.8 MX$1,165

-47.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 CA$17.43

$5.06 MX$85.7

150.00%

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

$378 CA$521

$222 MX$3,765

70.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K CA$18.8K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

218.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.71 CA$56.1

$46.21 MX$783

-11.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.29 CA$47.25

$44.43 MX$753

-22.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 CA$94.4

$95.5 MX$1,618

-28.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 CA$104

$92.5 MX$1,568

-18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 CA$1,723

$1,069 MX$18.1K

17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 CA$1,431

$393 MX$6,663

164.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 CA$2,832

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 CA$2,507

$1,304 MX$22.1K

39.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,628 CA$3,621

$747 MX$12.7K

251.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

11.6

-60.34%

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

Last update for Dartmouth: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,251 in Dartmouth versus $1,069 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 run about 252% higher in Dartmouth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Dartmouth versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,065 in Dartmouth, $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 55% apart. Dartmouth costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,097 per month in Dartmouth and $1,995 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,065 in Dartmouth and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 108% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Dartmouth at $2,065. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dartmouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,330 in Playa del Carmen to $2,065 in Dartmouth. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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