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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,511 in Grimsby versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,494 in Grimsby versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,477 in Grimsby versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grimsby is roughly 100% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grimsby is 88% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.52 CA$25.97

$11.99 MX$210

54.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$41.78 MX$733

86.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.21

$10.75 MX$189

0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.56 CA$4.99

$3.50 MX$61.3

1.71%

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

$2.05 CA$2.87

$1.45 MX$25.41

41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$0.88 MX$15.52

69.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 CA$8.19

$2.95 MX$51.7

97.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.44

$4.51 MX$79.1

49.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 CA$4.11

$1.43 MX$25.12

104.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$1.84 MX$32.23

54.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 CA$6.09

$1.57 MX$27.51

176.43%

Eggs

$3.27 CA$4.59

$2.51 MX$44.06

30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 CA$19.05

$8.28 MX$145

64.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.71 CA$13.61

$8.43 MX$148

15.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.65

$10.68 MX$187

4.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$2.61 MX$45.76

11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.44 MX$25.22

43.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 CA$4.99

$1.96 MX$34.41

81.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.10

$2.09 MX$36.74

74.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CA$2.69

$1.85 MX$32.47

3.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$2.17 MX$38.02

34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.03 MX$18.09

68.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.07 MX$18.84

101.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.76 CA$19.29

$4.10 MX$72.0

235.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.27 CA$17.20

$10.17 MX$178

20.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.10

$1.68 MX$29.38

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$2.53 MX$44.31

-9.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$0.51 MX$8.93

374.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.7 CA$86.6

$26.04 MX$457

137.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 CA$4.28

$3.23 MX$56.7

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$2.41 MX$42.19

-49.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.47 CA$31.51

$3.23 MX$56.6

595.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.32 MX$23.17

-15.91%

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

$24.7K CA$34.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-16.74%

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

$21.3K CA$29.8K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-10.04%

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

$154 CA$216

$82.0 MX$1,439

87.46%

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

$54.3 CA$76.2

$22.95 MX$403

136.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 CA$98.2

$30.11 MX$528

132.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.69 CA$58.5

$52.0 MX$912

-19.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$8.75 CA$12.26

$4.98 MX$87.3

75.70%

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

$739 CA$1,036

$197 MX$3,463

274.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

245.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 CA$100

$35.60 MX$624

101.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 CA$57.9

$40.33 MX$707

2.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CA$158

$78.8 MX$1,381

43.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$158

$88.9 MX$1,560

26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 CA$1,808

$947 MX$16.6K

36.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 CA$1,852

$474 MX$8,314

178.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CA$2,623

$1,644 MX$28.8K

13.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,532

$1,211 MX$21.2K

49.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,398 CA$6,166

$654 MX$11.5K

572.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

11.42

-43.96%

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

Last update for Grimsby: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,290 in Grimsby and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimsby pays 573% 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: $78.0 in Grimsby vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $355 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

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

Grimsby and Playa del Carmen differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($2,511 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 573% higher in Grimsby, 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: $1,290 in Grimsby versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $78.0 in Grimsby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,511 per month in Grimsby versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,511 in Grimsby, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Grimsby. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Grimsby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.