Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliette and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Joliette and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,745 per month in Joliette vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,663 per month in Joliette vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Joliette vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Joliette costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Joliette sits 30% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 CA$25.16

$11.73 MX$203

54.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.3 CA$78.3

$41.62 MX$719

35.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.48

$10.64 MX$184

4.61%

Cappuccino

$2.56 CA$3.56

$3.52 MX$60.8

-27.27%

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

$2.16 CA$3.00

$1.51 MX$26.09

43.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$0.97 MX$16.82

75.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.11

$2.95 MX$51.0

48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.26

$4.45 MX$77.0

49.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.18

$1.38 MX$23.90

65.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$1.89 MX$32.69

38.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.43

$1.64 MX$28.29

94.51%

Eggs

$2.65 CA$3.68

$2.51 MX$43.30

5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 CA$15.66

$8.34 MX$144

35.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.00 CA$18.08

$8.34 MX$144

55.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 CA$22.34

$10.73 MX$185

49.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.79

$2.60 MX$45.00

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.87

$1.46 MX$25.18

-8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.87

$1.90 MX$32.84

84.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.14

$2.08 MX$35.88

77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$1.78 MX$30.68

43.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.37

$2.19 MX$37.76

43.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.04 MX$17.97

57.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$1.08 MX$18.60

40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.14 CA$19.66

$4.08 MX$70.5

246.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.50 CA$15.99

$10.32 MX$178

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.50

$1.71 MX$29.59

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.38

$2.58 MX$44.50

22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 CA$3.39

$0.51 MX$8.81

376.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 CA$88.4

$26.46 MX$457

140.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.91

$3.26 MX$56.4

-13.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$2.49 MX$43.05

-40.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 CA$28.17

$3.25 MX$56.1

523.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 CA$1.33

$1.31 MX$22.59

-26.72%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-16.39%

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

$22.3K CA$31.0K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-4.77%

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

$164 CA$228

$82.9 MX$1,432

97.84%

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

$43.84 CA$61.0

$22.22 MX$384

97.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 CA$72.1

$29.34 MX$507

76.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.53 CA$59.2

$51.6 MX$892

-17.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 CA$15.51

$5.07 MX$87.5

119.92%

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

$894 CA$1,244

$201 MX$3,470

345.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K CA$22.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

207.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 CA$73.1

$36.92 MX$638

42.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.97 CA$57.0

$39.79 MX$688

2.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 CA$123

$78.5 MX$1,356

13.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 CA$133

$87.1 MX$1,505

10.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 CA$932

$973 MX$16.8K

-31.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 CA$870

$468 MX$8,082

33.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 CA$1,872

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-17.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,101 CA$1,531

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-9.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,624 CA$6,431

$3,946 MX$68.2K

17.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,348 CA$6,046

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-33.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,747 CA$3,820

$664 MX$11.5K

313.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

11.42

-52.01%

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

Last update for Joliette: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $670 in Joliette versus $973 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 314% higher in Joliette, 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 $56.0 in Joliette versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 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

Joliette vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Joliette is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,617 per month in Joliette and $1,945 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.

Kindergarten costs $894 per month in Joliette and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Joliette, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Joliette at $1,745. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Joliette it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Joliette makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.