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: $1,957 in Fredericton versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,944 in Fredericton versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,931 in Fredericton versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Fredericton is 46% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.75 CA$20.43

$11.73 MX$203

25.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 CA$76.7

$41.62 MX$720

33.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$14.99

$10.64 MX$184

1.79%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.44

$3.52 MX$60.9

11.65%

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

$2.59 CA$3.59

$1.51 MX$26.12

71.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CA$2.84

$0.97 MX$16.84

111.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$6.94

$2.95 MX$51.0

70.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.43 CA$7.51

$4.45 MX$77.0

22.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 CA$2.61

$1.38 MX$23.93

36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.89 MX$32.72

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.11

$1.64 MX$28.32

81.10%

Eggs

$3.65 CA$5.06

$2.51 MX$43.34

45.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.68 CA$16.17

$8.34 MX$144

40.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.45 CA$13.08

$8.34 MX$144

13.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 CA$12.14

$10.73 MX$186

-18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CA$6.79

$2.60 MX$45.04

88.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.22

$1.46 MX$25.20

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.50

$1.90 MX$32.87

108.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.47

$2.08 MX$35.91

159.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CA$2.59

$1.78 MX$30.71

5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.25

$2.19 MX$37.80

-26.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$1.04 MX$17.99

142.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.08 MX$18.62

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.96 CA$16.56

$4.08 MX$70.6

193.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 CA$17.25

$10.32 MX$178

20.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.55

$1.71 MX$29.61

91.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 CA$6.69

$2.58 MX$44.54

87.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$0.51 MX$8.81

343.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.9 CA$83.0

$26.46 MX$458

126.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 CA$8.36

$3.26 MX$56.4

85.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$2.49 MX$43.09

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.45 CA$60.2

$3.25 MX$56.2

1236.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.74

$1.31 MX$22.61

-4.58%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.70%

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

$20.2K CA$28.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-13.63%

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

$133 CA$183

$82.9 MX$1,433

59.90%

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

$56.4 CA$78.1

$22.22 MX$384

153.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.6 CA$109

$29.34 MX$507

167.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.17 CA$57.0

$51.6 MX$893

-20.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.90 CA$37.25

$18.32 MX$317

46.83%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

$5.07 MX$87.6

118.74%

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

$611 CA$846

$201 MX$3,473

204.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,786 CA$2,473

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-65.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 CA$71.7

$36.92 MX$639

40.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 CA$56.6

$39.79 MX$688

2.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 CA$115

$78.5 MX$1,357

5.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 CA$119

$87.1 MX$1,506

-1.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 CA$1,503

$973 MX$16.8K

11.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$809 CA$1,120

$468 MX$8,090

73.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 CA$2,469

$1,641 MX$28.4K

8.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 CA$2,088

$1,221 MX$21.1K

23.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,945 CA$2,693

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-50.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 CA$2,701

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-69.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,426 CA$3,359

$664 MX$11.5K

265.35%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Fredericton and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fredericton pays 265% 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: $55.0 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.

Fredericton pays 265% more on average, 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: $1,086 in Fredericton versus $973 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 126% less than in Fredericton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Fredericton versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,957 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.