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: $2,981 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,655 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,330 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 130% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iqaluit, NU is 117% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.40 CA$39.16

$11.71 MX$198

142.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 CA$91.2

$46.59 MX$788

41.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 CA$17.78

$11.65 MX$197

10.64%

Cappuccino

$7.01 CA$9.66

$4.09 MX$69.2

71.39%

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

$3.71 CA$5.12

$1.37 MX$23.23

170.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$0.83 MX$14.09

101.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 CA$9.29

$3.35 MX$56.7

100.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.82

$6.91 MX$117

-17.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$1.73 MX$29.20

43.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.56

$2.26 MX$38.21

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.67

$1.77 MX$29.91

91.53%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$4.96

$2.73 MX$46.19

31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 CA$13.96

$9.18 MX$155

10.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.65

$8.92 MX$151

51.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 CA$20.23

$12.60 MX$213

16.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.45

$3.02 MX$51.1

30.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.57 MX$26.55

-14.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.28

$2.13 MX$35.93

79.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$2.26 MX$38.28

72.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.00 MX$33.88

28.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$2.06 MX$34.90

10.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$1.18 MX$19.94

111.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.24

$1.20 MX$20.35

35.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 CA$19.68

$4.63 MX$78.4

208.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.53

$10.69 MX$181

18.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.84

$1.62 MX$27.38

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.42

$2.88 MX$48.70

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.18

$0.57 MX$9.69

305.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 CA$88.8

$29.83 MX$504

115.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 CA$9.14

$5.45 MX$92.1

21.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$3.70 MX$62.6

-61.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 CA$33.63

$5.98 MX$101

307.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.55 MX$26.26

-27.10%

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

$38.8K CA$53.5K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

73.72%

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

$32.0K CA$44.1K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

23.37%

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

$117 CA$161

$89.1 MX$1,507

31.20%

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

$39.60 CA$54.6

$25.04 MX$423

58.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CA$79.4

$31.50 MX$532

82.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.22 CA$58.2

$67.8 MX$1,146

-37.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 CA$25.27

$28.92 MX$489

-36.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 CA$11.61

$5.05 MX$85.4

66.73%

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

$776 CA$1,070

$225 MX$3,803

245.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K CA$18.8K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

222.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$73.7

$47.44 MX$802

12.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 CA$52.9

$44.98 MX$760

-14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$120

$82.0 MX$1,386

5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$92.1 MX$1,557

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CA$2,519

$1,069 MX$18.1K

70.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 CA$2,355

$405 MX$6,852

321.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,929 CA$4,038

$1,935 MX$32.7K

51.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,445 CA$4,751

$1,301 MX$22.0K

164.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,330 CA$5,971

$3,995 MX$67.5K

8.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,729 CA$5,142

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-43.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CA$5,799

$749 MX$12.7K

461.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

11.45

-53.54%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 462% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $371 vs $277 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, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 462% 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: $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $776 in Iqaluit, NU versus $225 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 34% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,981 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 130% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.