Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 142% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iqaluit, NU is 128% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.86 CA$44.83

$11.99 MX$209

165.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 CA$94.9

$41.78 MX$728

61.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 CA$18.56

$10.75 MX$187

22.70%

Cappuccino

$6.80 CA$9.56

$3.50 MX$60.9

94.29%

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

$3.93 CA$5.53

$1.45 MX$25.22

171.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.36

$0.88 MX$15.41

90.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.42

$2.95 MX$51.3

126.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.08

$4.51 MX$78.6

27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.44

$1.43 MX$24.94

70.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$1.84 MX$31.99

46.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.07

$1.57 MX$27.31

84.08%

Eggs

$4.48 CA$6.30

$2.51 MX$43.74

78.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 CA$17.09

$8.28 MX$144

46.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.61 CA$19.15

$8.43 MX$147

61.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 CA$35.93

$10.68 MX$186

139.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.76

$2.61 MX$45.43

-24.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.16

$1.44 MX$25.04

104.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.79

$1.96 MX$34.16

1.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.84

$2.09 MX$36.47

-3.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.14

$1.85 MX$32.24

58.92%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.69

$2.17 MX$37.74

86.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 CA$4.26

$1.03 MX$17.96

194.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.07

$1.07 MX$18.70

236.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 CA$19.64

$4.10 MX$71.4

240.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 CA$16.98

$10.17 MX$177

18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.68 MX$29.17

-10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.13

$2.53 MX$43.98

-12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$0.51 MX$8.87

350.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$145 CA$204

$26.04 MX$453

457.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 CA$9.11

$3.23 MX$56.3

100.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 CA$1.02

$2.41 MX$41.88

-70.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 CA$36.92

$3.23 MX$56.2

712.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$1.32 MX$23.00

-0.76%

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

$49.4K CA$69.5K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

66.31%

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

$45.7K CA$64.3K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

93.16%

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

$118 CA$167

$82.0 MX$1,428

44.37%

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

$56.1 CA$79.0

$22.95 MX$400

144.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$78.5

$30.11 MX$524

85.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.48 CA$58.4

$52.0 MX$905

-20.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.06 CA$31.03

$18.53 MX$323

19.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.96

$4.98 MX$86.6

70.68%

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

$989 CA$1,392

$197 MX$3,438

401.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,940 CA$5,545

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-26.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$88.0

$35.60 MX$620

75.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 CA$51.7

$40.33 MX$702

-8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$78.8 MX$1,371

28.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$172

$88.9 MX$1,549

37.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,404

$947 MX$16.5K

80.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,272

$474 MX$8,254

240.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,269

$1,644 MX$28.6K

84.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 CA$2,514

$1,211 MX$21.1K

47.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,270 CA$6,008

$4,056 MX$70.6K

5.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,563 CA$5,014

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-44.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,212 CA$5,927

$654 MX$11.4K

544.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

11.42

-29.07%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 544% 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: $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 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

Iqaluit, NU vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 544% higher in Iqaluit, NU, 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: $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $989 in Iqaluit, NU 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 67% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Iqaluit, NU. 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 Iqaluit, NU, 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 142% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.