Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,870 per month in Medicine Hat vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,748 per month in Medicine Hat vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,625 per month in Medicine Hat vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Medicine Hat costs about 44% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medicine Hat sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 CA$21.65

$11.73 MX$203

32.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$99.2

$41.62 MX$719

71.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CA$11.35

$10.64 MX$184

-23.31%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.17

$3.52 MX$60.8

5.68%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$1.51 MX$26.09

31.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$0.97 MX$16.82

77.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$2.95 MX$51.0

71.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.47

$4.45 MX$77.0

-11.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$1.38 MX$23.90

12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$1.89 MX$32.69

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$1.64 MX$28.29

108.54%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$2.51 MX$43.30

28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 CA$11.37

$8.34 MX$144

-1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 CA$15.65

$8.34 MX$144

34.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$10.73 MX$185

24.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$2.60 MX$45.00

47.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.46 MX$25.18

-8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$1.90 MX$32.84

32.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$2.08 MX$35.88

60.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$1.78 MX$30.68

-16.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$2.19 MX$37.76

-30.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$1.04 MX$17.97

153.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.08 MX$18.60

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 CA$16.32

$4.08 MX$70.5

187.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.16

$10.32 MX$178

26.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$1.71 MX$29.59

54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$2.58 MX$44.50

41.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$0.51 MX$8.81

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$70.9

$26.46 MX$457

92.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.99

$3.26 MX$56.4

10.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$2.49 MX$43.05

-47.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 CA$40.60

$3.25 MX$56.1

798.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.31 MX$22.59

-19.08%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-17.52%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-5.38%

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

$212 CA$295

$82.9 MX$1,432

156.21%

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

$41.51 CA$57.7

$22.22 MX$384

86.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$82.1

$29.34 MX$507

101.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$51.6 MX$892

11.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.53 CA$52.2

$18.32 MX$317

104.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.07

$5.07 MX$87.5

142.21%

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

$877 CA$1,220

$201 MX$3,470

336.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

203.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$74.0

$36.92 MX$638

44.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 CA$38.67

$39.79 MX$688

-30.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 CA$96.4

$78.5 MX$1,356

-11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 CA$97.3

$87.1 MX$1,505

-19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 CA$1,134

$973 MX$16.8K

-16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,016

$468 MX$8,082

56.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 CA$1,955

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-14.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,670

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,371 CA$1,907

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-65.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,972 CA$2,742

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-69.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,168

$664 MX$11.5K

351.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

11.42

-50.00%

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

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Medicine Hat 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 351% higher in Medicine Hat, 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 $71.0 in Medicine Hat versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 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

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

Medicine Hat costs about 44% 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 $2,805 per month in Medicine Hat 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,870 in Medicine Hat and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 93% 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 $1,297, than in Medicine Hat at $1,870. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medicine Hat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,870 in Medicine Hat. 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, Medicine Hat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.