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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,250 per month in Estevan vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,286 per month in Estevan vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Estevan vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Estevan costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Estevan sits 67% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.47 CA$30.79

$11.61 MX$201

93.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 CA$103

$42.75 MX$742

75.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 CA$8.11

$10.60 MX$184

-44.15%

Cappuccino

$2.20 CA$3.01

$3.59 MX$62.3

-38.72%

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

$2.31 CA$3.17

$1.45 MX$25.21

59.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.59

$0.90 MX$15.58

110.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 CA$8.14

$3.03 MX$52.6

96.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 CA$8.12

$4.56 MX$79.2

30.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 CA$1.32

$1.45 MX$25.20

-33.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 CA$1.66

$1.83 MX$31.72

-33.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.33

$1.61 MX$27.92

96.27%

Eggs

$1.96 CA$2.68

$2.54 MX$44.05

-22.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 CA$15.89

$8.54 MX$148

35.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 CA$8.66

$8.47 MX$147

-25.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.98 CA$24.64

$10.86 MX$189

65.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$2.73 MX$47.37

32.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.74

$1.49 MX$25.91

-14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.85

$1.94 MX$33.73

120.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.82

$2.16 MX$37.57

62.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 CA$4.54

$1.85 MX$32.05

78.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.87

$2.19 MX$38.00

28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 CA$2.07

$1.07 MX$18.62

41.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 CA$0.56

$1.08 MX$18.81

-62.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 CA$20.43

$4.06 MX$70.5

267.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 CA$18.29

$10.46 MX$182

27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 CA$5.04

$1.65 MX$28.71

123.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 CA$4.03

$2.55 MX$44.23

15.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.27

$0.56 MX$9.65

326.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 CA$86.8

$26.20 MX$455

141.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.43

$3.14 MX$54.5

2.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 CA$0.92

$2.37 MX$41.17

-71.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.53 CA$40.45

$3.24 MX$56.2

811.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.51

$1.31 MX$22.81

-15.27%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-16.73%

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

$20.0K CA$27.4K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-16.04%

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

$136 CA$186

$83.1 MX$1,443

63.70%

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

$51.1 CA$70.0

$22.15 MX$385

130.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 CA$69.0

$29.37 MX$510

71.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.65 CA$57.1

$51.2 MX$889

-18.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 CA$12.69

$4.89 MX$84.9

89.57%

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

$490 CA$672

$199 MX$3,449

146.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K CA$15.2K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

112.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.0

$35.93 MX$624

74.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.61 CA$44.67

$39.39 MX$684

-17.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 CA$117

$80.3 MX$1,394

5.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$148

$87.6 MX$1,520

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 CA$1,791

$963 MX$16.7K

35.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,606

$482 MX$8,370

143.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 CA$2,737

$1,645 MX$28.6K

21.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 CA$2,479

$1,192 MX$20.7K

51.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,835 CA$5,254

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-3.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,112 CA$4,264

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-52.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,353 CA$5,964

$726 MX$12.6K

499.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

11.42

-43.35%

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

Last update for Estevan: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,307 in Estevan versus $963 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 499% higher in Estevan, 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 $75 in Estevan versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $253 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,250 in Estevan, $1,262 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 78% apart. Estevan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,375 per month in Estevan and $1,894 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.

Kindergarten costs $490 per month in Estevan and $199 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 19% more in Estevan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Estevan at $2,250. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Estevan 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen to $2,250 in Estevan. 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, Estevan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.