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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,899 in Fredericton versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,913 in Fredericton versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,926 in Fredericton versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fredericton is roughly 51% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fredericton is 42% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 CA$21.00

$11.99 MX$210

24.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 CA$76.2

$41.78 MX$733

30.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 CA$15.65

$10.75 MX$189

3.81%

Cappuccino

$4.03 CA$5.65

$3.50 MX$61.3

15.14%

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

$2.59 CA$3.63

$1.45 MX$25.41

78.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$0.88 MX$15.52

140.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.19

$2.95 MX$51.7

73.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 CA$7.60

$4.51 MX$79.1

20.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$1.43 MX$25.12

37.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$1.84 MX$32.23

56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.18

$1.57 MX$27.51

89.81%

Eggs

$3.62 CA$5.08

$2.51 MX$44.06

44.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.18

$8.28 MX$145

39.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.63 CA$13.51

$8.43 MX$148

14.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 CA$12.12

$10.68 MX$187

-19.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.89

$2.61 MX$45.76

88.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$1.44 MX$25.22

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.54

$1.96 MX$34.41

101.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 CA$7.91

$2.09 MX$36.74

169.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 CA$2.59

$1.85 MX$32.47

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.19

$2.17 MX$38.02

-28.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.55

$1.03 MX$18.09

145.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.21

$1.07 MX$18.84

46.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.87 CA$16.64

$4.10 MX$72.0

189.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 CA$16.79

$10.17 MX$178

17.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 CA$4.56

$1.68 MX$29.38

93.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 CA$6.56

$2.53 MX$44.31

84.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$3.01

$0.51 MX$8.93

321.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.2 CA$81.5

$26.04 MX$457

123.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 CA$8.07

$3.23 MX$56.7

78.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 CA$2.49

$2.41 MX$42.19

-26.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.76 CA$62.8

$3.23 MX$56.6

1285.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.32 MX$23.17

-3.79%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-16.22%

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

$20.1K CA$28.1K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-15.23%

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

$136 CA$190

$82.0 MX$1,439

65.33%

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

$56.5 CA$79.2

$22.95 MX$403

146.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 CA$109

$30.11 MX$528

157.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 CA$57.6

$52.0 MX$912

-20.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 CA$36.70

$18.53 MX$325

41.28%

Cinema Ticket

$11.06 CA$15.51

$4.98 MX$87.3

122.09%

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

$596 CA$836

$197 MX$3,463

201.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,758 CA$2,465

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-67.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 CA$73.8

$35.60 MX$624

47.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 CA$58.1

$40.33 MX$707

2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$114

$78.8 MX$1,381

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 CA$120

$88.9 MX$1,560

-3.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 CA$1,556

$947 MX$16.6K

17.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 CA$1,117

$474 MX$8,314

68.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 CA$2,522

$1,644 MX$28.8K

9.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 CA$2,131

$1,211 MX$21.2K

25.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,885 CA$2,642

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-53.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 CA$2,646

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-70.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,383 CA$3,341

$654 MX$11.5K

264.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

11.42

-43.61%

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

Last update for Fredericton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Fredericton and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fredericton pays 264% 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: $54.0 in Fredericton vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 264% higher in Fredericton, 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: $1,110 in Fredericton versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 123% less than in Fredericton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $596 in Fredericton versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,899 in Fredericton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fredericton. 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 Fredericton, 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 51% less than in Fredericton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.