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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,303 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,453 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Grand Falls-Windsor costs about 83% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Grand Falls-Windsor sits 72% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.16 CA$24.20
$11.95 MX$208
43.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.6 CA$98.2
$41.94 MX$730
65.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.84 CA$15.29
$10.42 MX$181
4.03%
Cappuccino
$3.80 CA$5.36
$3.51 MX$61.2
8.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 CA$2.77
$1.52 MX$26.39
28.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.30
$0.91 MX$15.85
79.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.37 CA$7.58
$3.04 MX$52.9
76.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97 CA$8.42
$4.37 MX$76.1
36.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 CA$3.07
$1.42 MX$24.73
53.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.59 CA$3.66
$1.83 MX$31.87
41.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.64 CA$5.13
$1.63 MX$28.45
123.31%
Eggs
$3.54 CA$4.99
$2.54 MX$44.20
39.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.95 CA$15.44
$8.57 MX$149
27.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.92 CA$16.81
$8.49 MX$148
40.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.75 CA$20.81
$10.80 MX$188
36.57%
Apples (1kg)
$3.99 CA$5.63
$2.75 MX$47.95
45.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.36 CA$1.92
$1.44 MX$25.00
-5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.75 CA$5.29
$1.89 MX$32.84
98.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.75 CA$5.29
$2.17 MX$37.77
72.81%
Potato (1kg)
$2.47 CA$3.48
$1.78 MX$30.97
38.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.48 CA$3.49
$2.22 MX$38.71
11.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 CA$3.72
$1.07 MX$18.60
146.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 CA$2.52
$1.08 MX$18.79
65.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.90 CA$19.61
$4.15 MX$72.2
234.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.00 CA$15.51
$10.45 MX$182
5.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 CA$4.10
$1.74 MX$30.34
66.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 CA$4.42
$2.58 MX$44.93
21.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.44 CA$3.43
$0.51 MX$8.94
378.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.2 CA$89.1
$25.94 MX$452
143.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 CA$4.41
$3.21 MX$55.9
-2.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 CA$2.08
$2.50 MX$43.55
-40.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.86 CA$36.48
$3.19 MX$55.4
710.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 CA$1.63
$1.26 MX$21.87
-7.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.7K CA$34.8K
$29.7K MX$516.7K
-16.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.9K CA$29.4K
$23.7K MX$412.2K
-11.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$141 CA$199
$82.0 MX$1,428
71.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$43.86 CA$61.9
$22.73 MX$396
92.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.7 CA$87.0
$29.42 MX$512
109.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.46 CA$59.9
$52.2 MX$908
-18.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.45 MX$321
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.27 CA$15.89
$4.93 MX$85.9
128.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$731 CA$1,031
$202 MX$3,512
262.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.8K CA$16.6K
$5,217 MX$90.8K
126.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 CA$78.1
$35.93 MX$625
54.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.17 CA$55.3
$40.33 MX$702
-2.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.7 CA$121
$79.9 MX$1,390
7.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 CA$152
$89.3 MX$1,554
20.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,336 CA$1,885
$948 MX$16.5K
40.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,194 CA$1,685
$465 MX$8,098
156.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 CA$2,892
$1,630 MX$28.4K
25.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,785 CA$2,518
$1,193 MX$20.8K
49.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,501 CA$6,348
$3,933 MX$68.5K
14.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,582 CA$5,052
$6,428 MX$111.9K
-44.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Grand Falls-Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$658 MX$11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.46
11.42
-43.43%

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

Last update for Grand Falls-Windsor: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,336 in Grand Falls-Windsor versus $948 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 $70.0 in Grand Falls-Windsor versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $252 – 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 – Grand Falls-Windsor is pricier by about 83%, 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 $3,454 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor and $1,888 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 144% 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 $731 per month in Grand Falls-Windsor and $202 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 $1,259, than in Grand Falls-Windsor at $2,303. 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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