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: $2,518 in Grimsby versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,499 in Grimsby versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,481 in Grimsby versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Grimsby is roughly 94% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Grimsby is 88% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 CA$25.17

$11.73 MX$203

54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.7 CA$108

$41.62 MX$720

86.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.42

$10.64 MX$184

4.61%

Cappuccino

$3.60 CA$4.99

$3.52 MX$60.9

2.27%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$1.51 MX$26.12

33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.13

$0.97 MX$16.84

58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.04 CA$8.37

$2.95 MX$51.0

104.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.36

$4.45 MX$77.0

51.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$1.38 MX$23.93

119.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.02

$1.89 MX$32.72

53.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CA$5.96

$1.64 MX$28.32

162.20%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.71

$2.51 MX$43.34

35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 CA$18.66

$8.34 MX$144

61.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 CA$13.35

$8.34 MX$144

15.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.64

$10.73 MX$186

5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.00

$2.60 MX$45.04

11.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$1.46 MX$25.20

41.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.96

$1.90 MX$32.87

88.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.91

$2.08 MX$35.91

70.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CA$2.59

$1.78 MX$30.71

5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.19 MX$37.80

31.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.04 MX$17.99

60.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 CA$2.98

$1.08 MX$18.62

99.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 CA$19.28

$4.08 MX$70.6

241.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 CA$17.46

$10.32 MX$178

22.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.71 MX$29.61

28.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.07

$2.58 MX$44.54

-13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.31

$0.51 MX$8.81

368.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.8 CA$85.6

$26.46 MX$458

133.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.42

$3.26 MX$56.4

-2.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$2.49 MX$43.09

-49.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.75 CA$30.12

$3.25 MX$56.2

569.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.31 MX$22.61

-12.21%

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

$25.0K CA$34.6K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-17.46%

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

$21.2K CA$29.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-9.34%

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

$159 CA$220

$82.9 MX$1,433

91.35%

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

$53.1 CA$73.5

$22.22 MX$384

138.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 CA$97.8

$29.34 MX$507

140.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$58.2

$51.6 MX$893

-18.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$8.76 CA$12.13

$5.07 MX$87.6

72.78%

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

$727 CA$1,006

$201 MX$3,473

261.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K CA$25.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

250.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 CA$101

$36.92 MX$639

97.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 CA$55.2

$39.79 MX$688

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 CA$158

$78.5 MX$1,357

45.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$154

$87.1 MX$1,506

27.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 CA$1,853

$973 MX$16.8K

37.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 CA$1,820

$468 MX$8,090

180.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 CA$2,620

$1,641 MX$28.4K

15.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 CA$2,525

$1,221 MX$21.1K

49.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,395 CA$6,086

$664 MX$11.5K

562.04%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,339 in Grimsby and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Grimsby pays 562% 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 $356 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 94% in total monthly costs ($2,518 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Grimsby pays 562% more on average, 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: $1,339 in Grimsby versus $973 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 $2,518 per month in Grimsby versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,518 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 94% less than in Grimsby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.