Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Duncan BC and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Duncan BC versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,577 in Duncan BC versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,801 in Duncan BC versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duncan BC is roughly 87% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Duncan BC is 76% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 CA$25.71

$11.99 MX$209

52.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 CA$97.7

$41.78 MX$728

66.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.69

$10.75 MX$187

3.72%

Cappuccino

$4.07 CA$5.72

$3.50 MX$60.9

16.29%

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

$2.13 CA$3.00

$1.45 MX$25.22

46.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.53

$0.88 MX$15.41

104.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.41

$2.95 MX$51.3

78.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 CA$8.72

$4.51 MX$78.6

37.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.43 MX$24.94

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$1.84 MX$31.99

48.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.51 CA$7.75

$1.57 MX$27.31

250.96%

Eggs

$3.71 CA$5.23

$2.51 MX$43.74

47.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 CA$14.30

$8.28 MX$144

22.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.91 CA$16.75

$8.43 MX$147

41.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.48

$10.68 MX$186

36.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.68

$2.61 MX$45.43

27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.44 MX$25.04

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.18

$1.96 MX$34.16

51.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$2.09 MX$36.47

59.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$1.85 MX$32.24

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.86

$2.17 MX$37.74

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$1.03 MX$17.96

141.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.07 MX$18.70

58.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.19 CA$19.97

$4.10 MX$71.4

246.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.44 CA$16.10

$10.17 MX$177

12.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.54

$1.68 MX$29.17

134.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$2.53 MX$43.98

57.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$0.51 MX$8.87

288.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.8 CA$108

$26.04 MX$453

195.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.86

$3.23 MX$56.3

-15.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.07

$2.41 MX$41.88

-39.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 CA$41.12

$3.23 MX$56.2

804.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.32 MX$23.00

-0.76%

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

$23.8K CA$33.5K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-19.95%

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

$20.9K CA$29.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-11.84%

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

$158 CA$223

$82.0 MX$1,428

92.87%

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

$42.68 CA$60.1

$22.95 MX$400

85.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 CA$95.4

$30.11 MX$524

125.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.4 CA$87.8

$52.0 MX$905

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 CA$17.95

$4.98 MX$86.6

156.02%

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

$916 CA$1,289

$197 MX$3,438

364.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K CA$14.9K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

97.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.3

$35.60 MX$620

54.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 CA$73.7

$40.33 MX$702

29.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$78.8 MX$1,371

28.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 CA$133

$88.9 MX$1,549

6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 CA$1,813

$947 MX$16.5K

36.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 CA$1,582

$474 MX$8,254

137.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,350 CA$3,306

$1,644 MX$28.6K

42.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,146 CA$3,019

$1,211 MX$21.1K

77.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,387 CA$6,173

$4,056 MX$70.6K

8.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,621 CA$5,095

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-44.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,368

$654 MX$11.4K

374.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Duncan BC: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,288 in Duncan BC and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Duncan BC pays 375% 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: $69.0 in Duncan BC vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $249 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 375% higher in Duncan BC, 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: $1,288 in Duncan BC versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Duncan BC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $69.0 in Duncan BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,354 in Duncan BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Duncan BC. 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 Duncan BC, 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 87% less than in Duncan BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.