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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,493 in Hamilton versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Hamilton versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,676 in Hamilton versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hamilton is roughly 98% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hamilton is 87% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.13 CA$25.41

$11.99 MX$210

51.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$103

$41.78 MX$731

75.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 CA$15.39

$10.75 MX$188

2.14%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.68

$3.50 MX$61.1

15.71%

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

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.45 MX$25.33

44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.53

$0.88 MX$15.47

105.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 CA$8.17

$2.95 MX$51.6

97.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.23

$4.51 MX$78.9

45.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.13

$1.43 MX$25.04

55.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 CA$2.98

$1.84 MX$32.13

15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 CA$4.00

$1.57 MX$27.42

81.53%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.40

$2.51 MX$43.92

25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 CA$10.85

$8.28 MX$145

-6.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.56 CA$16.21

$8.43 MX$147

37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 CA$20.18

$10.68 MX$187

34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.48

$2.61 MX$45.62

49.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.44 MX$25.15

-9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 CA$4.97

$1.96 MX$34.31

81.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.47

$2.09 MX$36.62

86.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$1.85 MX$32.37

41.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CA$3.07

$2.17 MX$37.90

0.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$1.03 MX$18.04

114.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CA$2.80

$1.07 MX$18.78

85.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.47 CA$18.88

$4.10 MX$71.7

228.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CA$17.71

$10.17 MX$178

24.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CA$3.38

$1.68 MX$29.29

43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$2.53 MX$44.17

21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$0.51 MX$8.90

413.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CA$123

$26.04 MX$455

235.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 CA$4.96

$3.23 MX$56.5

9.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$2.41 MX$42.06

-49.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.62 CA$33.12

$3.23 MX$56.5

631.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.32 MX$23.10

-13.64%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-14.53%

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

$20.4K CA$28.6K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-13.73%

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

$155 CA$218

$82.0 MX$1,434

89.48%

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

$40.11 CA$56.2

$22.95 MX$401

74.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 CA$71.7

$30.11 MX$527

69.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.80 CA$51.6

$52.0 MX$909

-29.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.40 CA$31.40

$18.53 MX$324

20.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.57 CA$16.22

$4.98 MX$87.0

132.33%

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

$643 CA$901

$197 MX$3,452

225.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.7K CA$30.4K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

305.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 CA$78.5

$35.60 MX$622

57.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 CA$47.26

$40.33 MX$705

-16.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 CA$136

$78.8 MX$1,377

22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$170

$88.9 MX$1,555

36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 CA$1,895

$947 MX$16.6K

42.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 CA$1,778

$474 MX$8,288

167.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,785

$1,644 MX$28.7K

20.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,022 CA$2,835

$1,211 MX$21.2K

67.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 CA$3,800

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-33.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,749 CA$3,854

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-57.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,871 CA$4,025

$654 MX$11.4K

339.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

11.42

-42.03%

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

Last update for Hamilton: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,352 in Hamilton and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hamilton pays 339% 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: $73.0 in Hamilton vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 339% higher in Hamilton, 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: $1,352 in Hamilton versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $643 in Hamilton versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Hamilton. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,493 in Hamilton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Hamilton. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Hamilton, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Hamilton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.