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: $2,457 in Grimsby versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,507 in Grimsby versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,556 in Grimsby versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grimsby is roughly 90% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grimsby is 79% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.03 CA$24.87

$11.71 MX$198

53.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.0 CA$99.3

$46.59 MX$788

54.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$14.97

$11.65 MX$197

-6.87%

Cappuccino

$3.31 CA$4.56

$4.09 MX$69.2

-19.07%

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

$1.94 CA$2.68

$1.37 MX$23.23

41.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.14

$0.83 MX$14.09

87.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$7.90

$3.35 MX$56.7

71.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 CA$8.53

$6.91 MX$117

-10.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.72 CA$3.75

$1.73 MX$29.20

57.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.02

$2.26 MX$38.21

29.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.82

$1.77 MX$29.91

97.74%

Eggs

$3.78 CA$5.22

$2.73 MX$46.19

38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 CA$12.85

$9.18 MX$155

1.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 CA$14.87

$8.92 MX$151

20.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 CA$19.08

$12.60 MX$213

9.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.95

$3.02 MX$51.1

18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.05

$1.57 MX$26.55

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$2.13 MX$35.93

26.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.05

$2.26 MX$38.28

30.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 CA$2.64

$2.00 MX$33.88

-4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.67

$2.06 MX$34.90

-6.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 CA$2.75

$1.18 MX$19.94

69.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$1.20 MX$20.35

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.54 CA$18.67

$4.63 MX$78.4

192.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.90 CA$15.03

$10.69 MX$181

1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 CA$3.79

$1.62 MX$27.38

69.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 CA$3.60

$2.88 MX$48.70

-9.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 CA$6.88

$5.45 MX$92.1

-8.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$3.70 MX$62.6

-33.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.09 CA$60.8

$5.98 MX$101

637.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.55 MX$26.26

-29.03%

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

$28.5K CA$39.3K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

27.68%

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

$19.1K CA$26.3K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-26.48%

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

$147 CA$203

$89.1 MX$1,507

65.15%

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

$45.50 CA$62.7

$25.04 MX$423

81.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 CA$97.0

$31.50 MX$532

123.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 CA$73.6

$67.8 MX$1,146

-21.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 CA$13.21

$5.05 MX$85.4

89.70%

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

$1,066 CA$1,471

$225 MX$3,803

374.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K CA$24.4K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

319.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 CA$96.1

$47.44 MX$802

46.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 CA$91.0

$44.98 MX$760

46.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 CA$136

$82.0 MX$1,386

19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$140

$92.1 MX$1,557

10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,283 CA$1,769

$405 MX$6,852

216.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 CA$2,504

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,372 CA$6,029

$749 MX$12.7K

483.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

11.45

-60.52%

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

Last update for Grimsby: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Grimsby pays 484% 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: $72.0 in Grimsby vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $277 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 90% in total monthly costs ($2,457 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 484% higher in Grimsby, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,066 in Grimsby versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $72.0 in Grimsby. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,457 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 90% less than in Grimsby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.