Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,906 in Dawson City, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Dawson City
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Dawson City Living Index
58

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

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Dawson City

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,906

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,906 per month in Dawson City vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dawson City $1,906
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,291 per month in Dawson City vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dawson City $3,291
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,677 per month in Dawson City vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dawson City $4,677
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Dawson City costs about 58% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Dawson City sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.11 CA$35.23

$10.92 MX$204

129.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 CA$143

$43.37 MX$808

135.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 CA$14.87

$11.78 MX$220

-10.10%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.39

$3.81 MX$71.0

0.79%

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

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.28 MX$23.90

35.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.37

$0.78 MX$14.59

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 CA$7.12

$3.17 MX$59.0

59.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 CA$7.97

$4.93 MX$92.0

15.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 CA$3.69

$1.41 MX$26.22

86.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 CA$5.78

$2.22 MX$41.33

85.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.90

$1.42 MX$26.42

246.48%

Eggs

$5.10 CA$7.16

$2.52 MX$47.03

102.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.41

$7.26 MX$135

41.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.47 CA$20.31

$7.70 MX$143

87.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 CA$20.28

$12.69 MX$237

13.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.73

$2.78 MX$51.9

46.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$1.37 MX$25.50

4.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.84

$2.55 MX$47.55

63.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.79

$2.12 MX$39.58

94.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.28

$1.94 MX$36.13

20.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.09

$1.89 MX$35.16

16.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.51

$1.15 MX$21.37

117.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$1.18 MX$21.98

39.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 CA$19.67

$4.30 MX$80.1

226.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.81 CA$17.98

$9.95 MX$185

28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$1.58 MX$29.52

48.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.60

$2.67 MX$49.79

22.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$0.55 MX$10.31

294.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 CA$80.8

$26.62 MX$496

116.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$4.97 MX$92.6

-41.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$2.01

$3.33 MX$62.1

-57.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.86 CA$30.68

$5.36 MX$99.8

307.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.44 MX$26.92

-15.28%

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

$27.1K CA$38.0K

$20.7K MX$385.2K

31.20%

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

$18.7K CA$26.3K

$23.5K MX$437.4K

-20.21%

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

$137 CA$193

$84.8 MX$1,581

61.91%

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

$39.51 CA$55.4

$23.41 MX$436

68.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 CA$77.3

$28.66 MX$534

92.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.34 CA$53.8

$57.1 MX$1,063

-32.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.44 CA$28.69

$28.91 MX$539

-29.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.14 CA$15.63

$5.14 MX$95.8

116.73%

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

$639 CA$897

$207 MX$3,851

209.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K CA$19.9K

$3,927 MX$73.2K

260.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 CA$90.1

$43.35 MX$808

48.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.97 CA$54.7

$41.44 MX$772

-5.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 CA$93.9

$74.2 MX$1,383

-9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$147

$89.3 MX$1,664

17.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 CA$1,797

$980 MX$18.3K

30.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 CA$953

$381 MX$7,099

78.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 CA$2,849

$1,708 MX$31.8K

18.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,398

$1,075 MX$20.0K

58.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,203 CA$5,898

$3,943 MX$73.5K

6.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,257 CA$4,571

$6,158 MX$114.8K

-47.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,937 CA$4,122

$735 MX$13.7K

299.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

11.45

-59.13%

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

Last update for Dawson City: October 24, 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

Dawson City

$679 35.6%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 43.9% $298

Groceries & Markets

Dawson City

$406 21.3%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 37.2% $151

Eating Out

Dawson City

$329 17.3%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 38.5% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dawson City

$232 12.2%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 41% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Dawson City

$124 6.5%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 9.6% $12

Getting Around

Dawson City

$76 4%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 33.9% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Dawson City

$61 3.2%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 11.1% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,281 in Dawson City 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 Dawson City are about 4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Dawson City versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Dawson City

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

18:05 6:05 PM

20:05 8:05 PM

2 h ahead of Dawson City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,375

149,923

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 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 October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Dawson City Playa del Carmen 6,170 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Dawson City
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

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

Yes – Dawson City is pricier by about 58%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,859 per month in Dawson City 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 $1,281 in Dawson City.

Kindergarten costs $639 per month in Dawson City and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Dawson City, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Dawson City at $1,906. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dawson City 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, Dawson City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.