Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Falls-Windsor and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,327 in Grand Falls-Windsor, rent and utilities included – about $13,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Grand Falls-Windsor
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,327
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Grand Falls-Windsor 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 Grand Falls-Windsor and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,327 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Grand Falls-Windsor $2,327
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $3,355 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $2,102 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Grand Falls-Windsor $3,355
  • Playa del Carmen $2,102

A family of three spends $4,383 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $3,000 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Grand Falls-Windsor $4,383
  • Playa del Carmen $3,000

Grand Falls-Windsor costs about 93% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Grand Falls-Windsor sits 72% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.73 CA$27.89
$10.86 MX$201
81.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.0 CA$105
$44.21 MX$817
67.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.10 CA$12.87
$11.76 MX$217
-22.62%
Cappuccino
$3.58 CA$5.06
$3.68 MX$68.0
-2.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 CA$2.92
$1.34 MX$24.79
54.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 CA$2.45
$0.82 MX$15.24
110.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 CA$6.64
$3.06 MX$56.6
53.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.26 CA$8.85
$4.94 MX$91.2
26.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.09 CA$2.96
$1.47 MX$27.17
42.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 CA$4.08
$2.22 MX$40.95
30.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.95 CA$4.17
$1.48 MX$27.32
99.32%
Eggs
$3.30 CA$4.66
$2.49 MX$45.99
32.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.98 CA$12.69
$7.52 MX$139
19.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.97 CA$15.51
$7.96 MX$147
37.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.05 CA$22.69
$12.57 MX$232
27.68%
Apples (1kg)
$3.53 CA$4.99
$2.78 MX$51.3
26.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 CA$1.94
$1.43 MX$26.37
-3.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.98 CA$5.62
$2.62 MX$48.37
51.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.52 CA$4.97
$2.14 MX$39.49
64.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 CA$2.98
$2.02 MX$37.38
4.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 CA$2.85
$1.99 MX$36.74
1.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.31
$1.14 MX$21.01
105.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.57 CA$2.21
$1.20 MX$22.18
30.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.00 CA$21.20
$4.26 MX$78.7
252.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.30 CA$18.80
$10.02 MX$185
32.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48 CA$3.50
$1.54 MX$28.41
61.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 CA$4.03
$2.66 MX$49.17
7.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.61 CA$3.69
$0.53 MX$9.73
392.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.4 CA$85.4
$27.51 MX$508
119.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.87 CA$4.06
$4.90 MX$90.6
-41.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 CA$2.10
$3.43 MX$63.5
-56.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.55 CA$30.47
$5.38 MX$99.4
300.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 CA$1.63
$1.45 MX$26.76
-20.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K CA$37.1K
$21.2K MX$391.0K
24.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.7K CA$26.4K
$23.0K MX$425.3K
-18.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 CA$218
$85.4 MX$1,577
80.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.51 CA$53.0
$23.46 MX$434
59.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.0 CA$73.5
$28.43 MX$525
82.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.76 CA$52.0
$62.2 MX$1,149
-40.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.26 CA$25.81
$28.68 MX$530
-36.33%
Cinema Ticket
$10.84 CA$15.33
$5.10 MX$94.3
112.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$689 CA$974
$201 MX$3,715
242.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.0K CA$19.7K
$3,947 MX$72.9K
253.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.4 CA$82.5
$44.39 MX$820
31.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.94 CA$57.9
$41.35 MX$764
-0.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.8 CA$114
$72.7 MX$1,344
11.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.4 CA$132
$89.6 MX$1,656
4.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,269 CA$1,794
$979 MX$18.1K
29.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,195 CA$1,689
$373 MX$6,887
220.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,228 CA$3,149
$1,681 MX$31.1K
32.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,789 CA$2,529
$1,095 MX$20.2K
63.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,792 CA$6,774
$3,949 MX$73.0K
21.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,978 CA$5,624
$6,137 MX$113.4K
-35.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$738 MX$13.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.67
11.45
-59.21%

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

Last update for Grand Falls-Windsor: October 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Grand Falls-Windsor
$1.2K
Playa del Carmen
$373 68.8% $822
Groceries & Markets
Grand Falls-Windsor
$347
Playa del Carmen
$258 25.6% $89
Eating Out
Grand Falls-Windsor
$279
Playa del Carmen
$200 28.3% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grand Falls-Windsor
$243
Playa del Carmen
$137 43.6% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Grand Falls-Windsor
$123
Playa del Carmen
$112 9.3% $11
Getting Around
Grand Falls-Windsor
$81
Playa del Carmen
$52 36.3% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Grand Falls-Windsor
$58
Playa del Carmen
$72 23.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,269 in Grand Falls-Windsor versus $979 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Grand Falls-Windsor versus $44.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Grand Falls-Windsor
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
20:21 8:21 PM
17:51 5:51 PM
2 h 30 min behind Grand Falls-Windsor
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
13,725
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Grand Falls-Windsor Playa del Carmen 4,200 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Grand Falls-Windsor
  • 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
Grand Falls-Windsor vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Grand Falls-Windsor?
Yes – Grand Falls-Windsor is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,491 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 119% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $689 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Grand Falls-Windsor or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Grand Falls-Windsor at $2,327. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grand Falls-Windsor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Grand Falls-Windsor or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Grand Falls-Windsor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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