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 $2,006 per month in Moncton vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,078 per month in Moncton vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,149 per month in Moncton vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Moncton costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Moncton sits 46% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.83 CA$26.16

$11.71 MX$199

60.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 CA$96.1

$46.59 MX$792

48.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.19

$11.65 MX$198

-6.18%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.03

$4.09 MX$69.6

-11.49%

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

$2.09 CA$2.90

$1.37 MX$23.35

52.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.63

$0.83 MX$14.17

127.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.61 CA$6.40

$3.35 MX$57.0

37.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 CA$8.20

$6.91 MX$117

-14.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$1.73 MX$29.35

79.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$2.26 MX$38.41

26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$1.77 MX$30.07

93.22%

Eggs

$3.92 CA$5.45

$2.73 MX$46.43

43.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.89 CA$19.30

$9.18 MX$156

51.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.03 CA$15.32

$8.92 MX$152

23.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.27 CA$18.44

$12.60 MX$214

5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.79

$3.02 MX$51.3

85.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.57 MX$26.69

3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.83 CA$6.71

$2.13 MX$36.12

126.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 CA$8.11

$2.26 MX$38.48

158.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.96

$2.00 MX$34.05

6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.01

$2.06 MX$35.08

5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$1.18 MX$20.05

116.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CA$3.10

$1.20 MX$20.46

85.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.10

$4.63 MX$78.8

212.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.46 CA$20.10

$10.69 MX$182

35.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 CA$4.57

$1.62 MX$27.52

103.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 CA$5.56

$2.88 MX$48.96

38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 CA$2.95

$0.57 MX$9.74

271.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.4 CA$71.5

$29.83 MX$507

72.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 CA$3.95

$5.45 MX$92.6

-47.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 CA$1.95

$3.70 MX$63.0

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.53 CA$29.92

$5.98 MX$102

260.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.55 MX$26.40

-21.94%

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

$28.3K CA$39.4K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

26.95%

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

$19.6K CA$27.3K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-24.36%

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

$127 CA$177

$89.1 MX$1,515

42.58%

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

$42.17 CA$58.6

$25.04 MX$426

68.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 CA$90.3

$31.50 MX$535

106.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 CA$71.3

$67.8 MX$1,152

-24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 CA$16.24

$28.92 MX$491

-59.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 CA$17.89

$5.05 MX$85.8

154.85%

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

$388 CA$539

$225 MX$3,823

72.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K CA$18.6K

$4,222 MX$71.8K

216.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$47.44 MX$806

28.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.95 CA$49.95

$44.98 MX$764

-20.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$82.0 MX$1,393

30.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$92.1 MX$1,565

30.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 CA$1,456

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-2.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$832 CA$1,156

$405 MX$6,888

105.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 CA$2,275

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-15.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,900

$1,301 MX$22.1K

5.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,215 CA$3,078

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-44.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 CA$2,902

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-68.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,415 CA$3,356

$749 MX$12.7K

222.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

11.45

-59.83%

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

Last update for Moncton: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,048 in Moncton versus $1,069 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 223% 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 $69.0 in Moncton versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $277 – 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: $2,006 in Moncton, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 55% apart. Moncton costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,009 per month in Moncton and $1,940 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 $69.0 in Moncton and $47.00 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 $2,006 in Moncton and $1,293 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 $1,293, than in Moncton at $2,006. 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $2,006 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.