Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Hay River, NT and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Hay River, NT vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,340 per month in Hay River, NT vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,383 per month in Hay River, NT vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hay River, NT costs about 77% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hay River, NT sits 71% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.32

$11.73 MX$203

42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 CA$96.9

$41.62 MX$719

67.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 CA$15.39

$10.64 MX$184

4.04%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.11

$3.52 MX$60.8

4.55%

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

$2.07 CA$2.87

$1.51 MX$26.09

37.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.97 MX$16.82

77.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.62

$2.95 MX$51.0

85.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 CA$8.36

$4.45 MX$77.0

35.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.06

$1.38 MX$23.90

59.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.76

$1.89 MX$32.69

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.01

$1.64 MX$28.29

120.12%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.73

$2.51 MX$43.30

35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.39

$8.34 MX$144

32.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$8.34 MX$144

38.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.43 CA$20.07

$10.73 MX$185

34.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.51

$2.60 MX$45.00

52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$1.46 MX$25.18

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 CA$5.03

$1.90 MX$32.84

90.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.12

$2.08 MX$35.88

76.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CA$3.31

$1.78 MX$30.68

33.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.53

$2.19 MX$37.76

15.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$1.04 MX$17.97

143.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$1.08 MX$18.60

65.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.75

$4.08 MX$70.5

248.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 CA$17.87

$10.32 MX$178

24.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CA$3.97

$1.71 MX$29.59

67.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.39

$2.58 MX$44.50

22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.38

$0.51 MX$8.81

376.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 CA$86.8

$26.46 MX$457

136.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.35

$3.26 MX$56.4

-3.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$2.49 MX$43.05

-42.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.90 CA$36.01

$3.25 MX$56.1

696.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$1.31 MX$22.59

-10.69%

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

$24.8K CA$34.5K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-18.04%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-11.86%

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

$142 CA$197

$82.9 MX$1,432

71.27%

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

$44.25 CA$61.5

$22.22 MX$384

99.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$87.6

$29.34 MX$507

114.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 CA$58.7

$51.6 MX$892

-18.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 CA$15.82

$5.07 MX$87.5

124.46%

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

$727 CA$1,012

$201 MX$3,470

262.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

128.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 CA$74.6

$36.92 MX$638

45.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.98 CA$55.6

$39.79 MX$688

0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$78.5 MX$1,356

12.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$87.1 MX$1,505

24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 CA$1,846

$973 MX$16.8K

36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,158 CA$1,610

$468 MX$8,082

147.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,046 CA$2,845

$1,641 MX$28.4K

24.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,794 CA$2,495

$1,221 MX$21.1K

46.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,755 CA$6,613

$3,946 MX$68.2K

20.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,160 CA$5,786

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-35.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,369 CA$6,076

$664 MX$11.5K

558.07%

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 Hay River, NT: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,327 in Hay River, NT versus $973 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.

Salaries run about 558% higher in Hay River, NT, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Hay River, NT versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $249 – 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

Hay River, NT vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hay River, NT costs about 77% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Hay River, NT and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,296 in Hay River, NT and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Hay River, NT at $2,296. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hay River, NT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,296 in Hay River, NT. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hay River, NT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.