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 $2,312 per month in Hay River, NT vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,325 per month in Hay River, NT vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,338 per month in Hay River, NT vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Hay River, NT costs about 84% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Hay River, NT sits 73% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.22 CA$24.28

$11.99 MX$209

43.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 CA$97.0

$41.78 MX$727

64.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 CA$15.82

$10.75 MX$187

4.28%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.49

$3.50 MX$60.8

11.14%

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

$1.96 CA$2.76

$1.45 MX$25.21

35.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.39

$0.88 MX$15.40

92.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 CA$7.67

$2.95 MX$51.3

84.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.26

$4.51 MX$78.5

29.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.09

$1.43 MX$24.92

53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.83

$1.84 MX$31.98

47.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.18

$1.57 MX$27.30

133.76%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.76

$2.51 MX$43.72

34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 CA$15.47

$8.28 MX$144

32.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 CA$16.33

$8.43 MX$147

37.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.97 CA$21.12

$10.68 MX$186

40.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.63

$2.61 MX$45.40

52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$1.44 MX$25.03

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.25

$1.96 MX$34.15

89.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.37

$2.09 MX$36.45

82.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$1.85 MX$32.22

34.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.51

$2.17 MX$37.72

14.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$1.03 MX$17.95

156.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.50

$1.07 MX$18.69

65.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.57

$4.10 MX$71.4

238.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 CA$17.71

$10.17 MX$177

23.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$4.07

$1.68 MX$29.15

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CA$4.34

$2.53 MX$43.96

21.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.31

$0.51 MX$8.86

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 CA$88.2

$26.04 MX$453

140.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 CA$4.57

$3.23 MX$56.3

0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$2.41 MX$41.86

-38.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.32 CA$35.71

$3.23 MX$56.2

683.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$1.32 MX$22.99

-14.39%

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

$25.2K CA$35.5K

$29.7K MX$516.8K

-15.18%

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

$20.5K CA$28.9K

$23.7K MX$411.8K

-13.48%

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

$144 CA$203

$82.0 MX$1,427

75.53%

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

$43.97 CA$62.0

$22.95 MX$399

91.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$88.9

$30.11 MX$524

109.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.88 CA$59.1

$52.0 MX$904

-19.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$11.27 CA$15.90

$4.98 MX$86.6

126.31%

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

$731 CA$1,030

$197 MX$3,436

270.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.6K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

120.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 CA$77.0

$35.60 MX$619

53.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 CA$56.6

$40.33 MX$702

-0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 CA$122

$78.8 MX$1,370

10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$88.9 MX$1,548

18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,315 CA$1,854

$947 MX$16.5K

38.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 CA$1,676

$474 MX$8,249

150.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 CA$2,842

$1,644 MX$28.6K

22.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 CA$2,582

$1,211 MX$21.1K

51.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,892 CA$6,901

$4,056 MX$70.6K

20.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,207 CA$4,523

$6,470 MX$112.6K

-50.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,282 CA$6,040

$654 MX$11.4K

554.93%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,315 in Hay River, NT versus $947 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 555% 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 $69.0 in Hay River, NT versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 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 84% 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 $3,468 per month in Hay River, NT and $1,884 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 $2,312 in Hay River, NT and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 140% 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 $1,256, than in Hay River, NT at $2,312. 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 $1,256 versus $2,312 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.