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: $3,143 in Milton versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,242 in Milton versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,341 in Milton versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Milton is roughly 150% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Milton is 135% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.75 CA$20.68

$11.99 MX$210

23.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.0 CA$105

$41.78 MX$733

79.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.00 CA$18.23

$10.75 MX$189

20.93%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.31

$3.50 MX$61.3

8.00%

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

$3.15 CA$4.41

$1.45 MX$25.41

117.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 CA$3.42

$0.88 MX$15.52

177.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 CA$11.29

$2.95 MX$51.7

172.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 CA$7.86

$4.51 MX$79.1

24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.38 CA$3.34

$1.43 MX$25.12

66.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$1.84 MX$32.23

42.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.23

$1.57 MX$27.51

182.80%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.76

$2.51 MX$44.06

35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 CA$9.25

$8.28 MX$145

-20.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.60 CA$41.51

$8.43 MX$148

251.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.12 CA$26.81

$10.68 MX$187

79.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 CA$7.66

$2.61 MX$45.76

109.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.17

$1.44 MX$25.22

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.13

$1.96 MX$34.41

50.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.52

$2.09 MX$36.74

54.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$1.85 MX$32.47

-40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$2.17 MX$38.02

-42.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$1.03 MX$18.09

68.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.14

$1.07 MX$18.84

109.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.34 CA$17.30

$4.10 MX$72.0

200.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.19 CA$18.49

$10.17 MX$178

29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$1.68 MX$29.38

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.96

$2.53 MX$44.31

11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$0.51 MX$8.93

462.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.49 CA$63.8

$26.04 MX$457

74.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 CA$4.31

$3.23 MX$56.7

-4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$2.41 MX$42.19

-38.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.38 CA$51.0

$3.23 MX$56.6

1026.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.53

$1.32 MX$23.17

-17.42%

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

$25.1K CA$35.2K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-15.40%

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

$23.9K CA$33.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

0.89%

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

$249 CA$348

$82.0 MX$1,439

203.06%

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

$59.9 CA$83.9

$22.95 MX$403

160.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 CA$96.2

$30.11 MX$528

127.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.58 CA$45.67

$52.0 MX$912

-37.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$16.52 CA$23.16

$4.98 MX$87.3

231.73%

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

$550 CA$771

$197 MX$3,463

178.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

123.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 CA$77.8

$35.60 MX$624

55.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 CA$75.8

$40.33 MX$707

33.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 CA$131

$78.8 MX$1,381

18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 CA$179

$88.9 MX$1,560

43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 CA$2,495

$947 MX$16.6K

87.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CA$2,350

$474 MX$8,314

253.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 CA$3,689

$1,644 MX$28.8K

60.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,362 CA$3,311

$1,211 MX$21.2K

95.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,655 CA$6,527

$4,056 MX$71.1K

14.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,065 CA$5,699

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-37.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,165 CA$4,438

$654 MX$11.5K

384.06%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,780 in Milton and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milton pays 384% 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: $75.0 in Milton vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $454 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 150% in total monthly costs ($3,143 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 384% higher in Milton, 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: $1,780 in Milton versus $947 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 75% less than in Milton. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $550 in Milton versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,143 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 150% less than in Milton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.