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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,044 in Milton versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,159 in Milton versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,275 in Milton versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Milton is roughly 135% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Milton is 127% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.65 CA$20.29

$11.73 MX$203

24.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$100

$41.62 MX$720

74.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 CA$17.95

$10.64 MX$184

21.80%

Cappuccino

$3.86 CA$5.34

$3.52 MX$60.9

9.66%

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

$3.23 CA$4.48

$1.51 MX$26.12

113.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CA$3.46

$0.97 MX$16.84

157.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 CA$11.08

$2.95 MX$51.0

171.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CA$7.48

$4.45 MX$77.0

21.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$1.38 MX$23.93

81.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.61

$1.89 MX$32.72

38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 CA$6.30

$1.64 MX$28.32

177.44%

Eggs

$3.47 CA$4.81

$2.51 MX$43.34

38.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 CA$9.15

$8.34 MX$144

-20.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.96 CA$41.49

$8.34 MX$144

259.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 CA$26.37

$10.73 MX$186

77.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 CA$7.76

$2.60 MX$45.04

115.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.18

$1.46 MX$25.20

7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$1.90 MX$32.87

53.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 CA$4.56

$2.08 MX$35.91

58.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 CA$1.44

$1.78 MX$30.71

-41.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.04 MX$17.99

58.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$1.08 MX$18.62

110.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.57 CA$17.40

$4.08 MX$70.6

208.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 CA$18.77

$10.32 MX$178

31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$1.71 MX$29.61

32.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.58 MX$44.54

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 CA$4.06

$0.51 MX$8.81

474.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.77 CA$63.4

$26.46 MX$458

72.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$3.26 MX$56.4

-3.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$2.49 MX$43.09

-41.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.15 CA$51.4

$3.25 MX$56.2

1043.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.79%

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

$24.8K CA$34.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.02%

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

$24.2K CA$33.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

3.38%

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

$247 CA$341

$82.9 MX$1,433

197.59%

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

$60.4 CA$83.6

$22.22 MX$384

171.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 CA$93.8

$29.34 MX$507

130.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.36 CA$46.19

$51.6 MX$893

-35.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$16.87 CA$23.35

$5.07 MX$87.6

232.74%

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

$556 CA$770

$201 MX$3,473

176.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

125.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 CA$79.6

$36.92 MX$639

55.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 CA$74.3

$39.79 MX$688

34.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$132

$78.5 MX$1,357

21.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$179

$87.1 MX$1,506

48.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 CA$2,469

$973 MX$16.8K

83.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 CA$2,315

$468 MX$8,090

257.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 CA$3,583

$1,641 MX$28.4K

57.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 CA$3,168

$1,221 MX$21.1K

87.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,840 CA$6,701

$3,946 MX$68.3K

22.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,220 CA$5,843

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-35.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,162 CA$4,378

$664 MX$11.5K

376.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

11.42

-40.46%

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

Last update for Milton: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,783 in Milton and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 376% 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: $72.0 in Milton vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 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

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

Milton and Playa del Carmen differ by about 135% in total monthly costs ($3,044 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Milton pays 376% 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: $1,783 in Milton versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 73% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $556 in Milton versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,044 in Milton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Milton. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Milton and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.