πA single person spends $2,354 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
πA couple spends around $3,414 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
πA family of three spends $4,474 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.
πGrand Falls-Windsor costs about 86% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
πGrand Falls-Windsor sits 75% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below β they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.64CA$22.79
$11.61MX$201
43.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.9CA$94.4
$42.75MX$742
61.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.21CA$15.35
$10.60MX$184
5.75%
Cappuccino
$3.89CA$5.33
$3.59MX$62.3
8.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04CA$2.79
$1.45MX$25.21
40.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64CA$2.24
$0.90MX$15.58
82.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.63CA$7.71
$3.03MX$52.6
85.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.85CA$8.01
$4.56MX$79.2
28.29%
π Groceries & Markets
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.11CA$2.89
$1.45MX$25.20
45.52%
White Bread(500g)
$2.69CA$3.68
$1.83MX$31.72
46.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.66CA$5.02
$1.61MX$27.92
127.33%
Eggs
$3.43CA$4.69
$2.54MX$44.05
35.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.26CA$15.42
$8.54MX$148
31.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.88CA$16.28
$8.47MX$147
40.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.68CA$20.11
$10.86MX$189
35.17%
Apples(1kg)
$3.97CA$5.43
$2.73MX$47.37
45.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.41CA$1.93
$1.49MX$25.91
-5.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.73CA$5.11
$1.94MX$33.73
92.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.84CA$5.27
$2.16MX$37.57
77.78%
Potato(1kg)
$2.51CA$3.43
$1.85MX$32.05
35.68%
Onion(1kg)
$2.45CA$3.36
$2.19MX$38.00
11.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.59CA$3.55
$1.07MX$18.62
142.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71CA$2.34
$1.08MX$18.81
58.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.84CA$18.96
$4.06MX$70.5
240.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.29CA$18.20
$10.46MX$182
27.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.83CA$3.88
$1.65MX$28.71
71.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12CA$4.28
$2.55MX$44.23
22.35%
π Getting Around
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.32CA$3.17
$0.56MX$9.65
314.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$63.2CA$86.6
$26.20MX$455
141.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09CA$4.23
$3.14MX$54.5
-1.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.50CA$2.05
$2.37MX$41.17
-36.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.40CA$34.80
$3.24MX$56.2
683.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11CA$1.52
$1.31MX$22.81
-15.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7KCA$33.9K
$30.5KMX$530.2K
-19.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0KCA$28.8K
$23.8KMX$413.6K
-11.88%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$144CA$197
$83.1MX$1,443
73.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.00CA$58.9
$22.15MX$385
94.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.4CA$84.1
$29.37MX$510
108.99%
π Sport & Entertainment
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.44CA$58.1
$51.2MX$889
-17.09%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.69MX$324
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.49CA$15.74
$4.89MX$84.9
134.97%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$746CA$1,022
$199MX$3,449
275.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6KCA$15.9K
$5,207MX$90.4K
123.13%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4CA$75.9
$35.93MX$624
54.22%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.03CA$54.8
$39.39MX$684
1.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.2CA$120
$80.3MX$1,394
8.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105CA$145
$87.6MX$1,520
20.47%
π Accommodation & Living
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,320CA$1,809
$963MX$16.7K
37.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,179CA$1,615
$482MX$8,370
144.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029CA$2,779
$1,645MX$28.6K
23.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,829CA$2,506
$1,192MX$20.7K
53.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,111CA$5,632
$3,957MX$68.7K
3.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,864CA$5,293
$6,513MX$113.1K
-40.68%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$726MX$12.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.46
11.42
-43.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Grand Falls-Windsor: April 13, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A central one-bedroom costs $1,320 in Grand Falls-Windsor 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.
πA mid-range dinner for two costs $69 in Grand Falls-Windsor versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $253 β 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
Grand Falls-Windsor vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Grand Falls-Windsor?
Yes β Grand Falls-Windsor is pricier by about 86%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled β 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 141% 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 $746 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor and $199 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 Grand Falls-Windsor or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Grand Falls-Windsor at $2,354. 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 β 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.
Grand Falls-Windsor vs other spots: cost of living compared