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 $2,307 per month in Hay River, NT vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,315 per month in Hay River, NT vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Hay River, NT vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hay River, NT costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hay River, NT sits 68% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.25

$11.71 MX$198

55.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 CA$92.3

$46.59 MX$786

43.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.17

$11.65 MX$197

-5.84%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.11

$4.09 MX$69.1

-9.78%

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

$1.84 CA$2.55

$1.37 MX$23.20

34.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.40

$0.83 MX$14.07

109.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.19

$3.35 MX$56.6

76.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CA$6.92

$6.91 MX$117

-27.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$1.73 MX$29.15

19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$2.26 MX$38.15

15.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.15

$1.77 MX$29.86

69.49%

Eggs

$3.92 CA$5.43

$2.73 MX$46.12

43.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.96

$9.18 MX$155

25.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$15.88

$8.92 MX$151

28.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 CA$20.38

$12.60 MX$213

16.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.86

$3.02 MX$51.0

40.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.57 MX$26.51

-20.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.45

$2.13 MX$35.88

51.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.32

$2.26 MX$38.22

69.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 CA$3.24

$2.00 MX$33.82

17.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$2.06 MX$34.85

21.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$1.18 MX$19.91

100.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.20 MX$20.32

18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.91 CA$17.87

$4.63 MX$78.2

178.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 CA$17.31

$10.69 MX$180

17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.67

$1.62 MX$27.33

63.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$2.88 MX$48.63

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$0.57 MX$9.68

291.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 CA$83.1

$29.83 MX$503

101.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 CA$4.64

$5.45 MX$91.9

-38.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$3.70 MX$62.5

-57.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.40 CA$32.37

$5.98 MX$101

291.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.58

$1.55 MX$26.22

-26.45%

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

$27.7K CA$38.4K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

24.21%

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

$20.4K CA$28.2K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-21.52%

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

$139 CA$193

$89.1 MX$1,504

56.47%

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

$38.54 CA$53.3

$25.04 MX$423

53.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 CA$78.6

$31.50 MX$532

80.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 CA$56.6

$67.8 MX$1,144

-39.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 CA$23.01

$28.92 MX$488

-42.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 CA$17.88

$5.05 MX$85.2

155.84%

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

$818 CA$1,132

$225 MX$3,797

263.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CA$16.9K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

188.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$76.5

$47.44 MX$801

16.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.25 CA$50.2

$44.98 MX$759

-19.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 CA$119

$82.0 MX$1,384

5.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 CA$137

$92.1 MX$1,555

7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 CA$1,566

$1,069 MX$18.0K

5.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$982 CA$1,359

$405 MX$6,842

142.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,801

$1,935 MX$32.7K

4.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 CA$2,405

$1,301 MX$22.0K

33.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,703 CA$6,508

$3,995 MX$67.4K

17.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,866 CA$5,349

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-41.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,268 CA$5,906

$749 MX$12.6K

470.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

11.45

-59.13%

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

Last update for Hay River, NT: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,132 in Hay River, NT versus $1,069 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 470% 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 $67.0 in Hay River, NT versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $277 – 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 78% 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 $3,460 per month in Hay River, NT and $1,940 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 $2,307 in Hay River, NT and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 101% 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 $1,293, than in Hay River, NT at $2,307. 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 $1,293 versus $2,307 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.