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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,982 per month in Moncton vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,942 per month in Moncton vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,902 per month in Moncton vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moncton costs about 53% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moncton sits 48% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.12 CA$25.08

$11.73 MX$203

54.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 CA$93.1

$41.62 MX$720

61.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.38

$10.64 MX$184

4.42%

Cappuccino

$3.30 CA$4.57

$3.52 MX$60.9

-6.25%

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

$1.86 CA$2.57

$1.51 MX$26.12

23.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.54

$0.97 MX$16.84

88.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 CA$5.05

$2.95 MX$51.0

23.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$4.45 MX$77.0

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.65 CA$3.66

$1.38 MX$23.93

92.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$1.89 MX$32.72

61.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 CA$4.98

$1.64 MX$28.32

119.51%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$4.96

$2.51 MX$43.34

42.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 CA$17.77

$8.34 MX$144

53.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.05 CA$15.30

$8.34 MX$144

32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 CA$14.55

$10.73 MX$186

-2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 CA$7.55

$2.60 MX$45.04

110.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.13

$1.46 MX$25.20

5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.23

$1.90 MX$32.87

98.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.78

$2.08 MX$35.91

100.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$1.78 MX$30.71

25.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.55

$2.19 MX$37.80

16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.26

$1.04 MX$17.99

125.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 CA$3.02

$1.08 MX$18.62

101.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.06 CA$18.09

$4.08 MX$70.6

220.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 CA$16.28

$10.32 MX$178

13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.71 MX$29.61

54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 CA$5.88

$2.58 MX$44.54

64.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$0.51 MX$8.81

329.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.7 CA$70.2

$26.46 MX$458

91.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$3.26 MX$56.4

-11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$2.49 MX$43.09

-46.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.43 CA$31.05

$3.25 MX$56.2

590.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.74

$1.31 MX$22.61

-3.82%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.29%

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

$19.9K CA$27.6K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-15.07%

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

$130 CA$180

$82.9 MX$1,433

57.15%

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

$37.82 CA$52.4

$22.22 MX$384

70.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 CA$84.3

$29.34 MX$507

107.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.36 CA$51.7

$51.6 MX$893

-27.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 CA$9.28

$18.32 MX$317

-63.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.01

$5.07 MX$87.6

142.21%

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

$396 CA$548

$201 MX$3,473

97.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,276 CA$10.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

39.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 CA$75.0

$36.92 MX$639

46.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 CA$53.6

$39.79 MX$688

-2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$78.5 MX$1,357

36.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CA$200

$87.1 MX$1,506

66.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 CA$1,413

$973 MX$16.8K

4.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$836 CA$1,157

$468 MX$8,090

78.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,234

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-1.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 CA$1,801

$1,221 MX$21.1K

6.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,281 CA$3,159

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-42.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,114 CA$2,927

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-67.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,553 CA$3,534

$664 MX$11.5K

284.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

11.42

-42.47%

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

Last update for Moncton: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Moncton 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 284% higher in Moncton, 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 $67.0 in Moncton versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,982 in Moncton, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 53% apart. Moncton costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,973 per month in Moncton 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Moncton and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,982 in Moncton and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Moncton at $1,982. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moncton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,982 in Moncton. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Moncton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.