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: $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,047 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,042 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 135% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iqaluit, NU is 128% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CA$43.33

$11.73 MX$203

166.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.0

$41.62 MX$720

57.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 CA$17.96

$10.64 MX$184

21.90%

Cappuccino

$6.69 CA$9.26

$3.52 MX$60.9

90.06%

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

$3.99 CA$5.53

$1.51 MX$26.12

164.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$0.97 MX$16.84

73.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 CA$9.53

$2.95 MX$51.0

133.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.30

$4.45 MX$77.0

34.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$1.38 MX$23.93

76.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$1.89 MX$32.72

42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$1.64 MX$28.32

82.93%

Eggs

$4.41 CA$6.11

$2.51 MX$43.34

75.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 CA$16.85

$8.34 MX$144

45.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$8.34 MX$144

63.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.77 CA$34.30

$10.73 MX$186

130.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.60 MX$45.04

-21.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.12

$1.46 MX$25.20

104.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$1.90 MX$32.87

3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.81

$2.08 MX$35.91

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.10

$1.78 MX$30.71

66.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$2.19 MX$37.80

78.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$1.04 MX$17.99

187.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.92

$1.08 MX$18.62

228.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.98

$4.08 MX$70.6

253.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 CA$17.73

$10.32 MX$178

24.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.71 MX$29.61

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$2.58 MX$44.54

-15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$0.51 MX$8.81

360.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 CA$200

$26.46 MX$458

445.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 CA$9.44

$3.26 MX$56.4

109.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 CA$0.98

$2.49 MX$43.09

-71.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.47 CA$35.26

$3.25 MX$56.2

683.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.31 MX$22.61

-3.05%

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

$50.5K CA$70.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

66.89%

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

$45.7K CA$63.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

95.02%

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

$119 CA$164

$82.9 MX$1,433

43.33%

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

$54.3 CA$75.2

$22.22 MX$384

144.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$29.34 MX$507

91.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 CA$58.3

$51.6 MX$893

-18.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 CA$30.49

$18.32 MX$317

20.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.77

$5.07 MX$87.6

67.65%

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

$1,019 CA$1,411

$201 MX$3,473

407.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,997 CA$5,534

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-23.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.0

$36.92 MX$639

70.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 CA$51.1

$39.79 MX$688

-7.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$143

$78.5 MX$1,357

31.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$87.1 MX$1,506

38.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CA$2,336

$973 MX$16.8K

73.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 CA$2,169

$468 MX$8,090

234.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,136 CA$4,342

$1,641 MX$28.4K

91.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CA$2,545

$1,221 MX$21.1K

50.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,603 CA$6,373

$3,946 MX$68.3K

16.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,811 CA$5,277

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-41.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 CA$5,952

$664 MX$11.5K

547.48%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 547% 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: $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 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 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iqaluit, NU pays 547% more on average, 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: $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,019 in Iqaluit, NU versus $201 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 66% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,053 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 135% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.