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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,198 per month in Peterborough vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,155 per month in Peterborough vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,113 per month in Peterborough vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Peterborough costs about 70% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Peterborough sits 60% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.65 £15.27
$11.71 MX$198
76.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$94.0 £69.5
$46.59 MX$788
101.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.74 £7.94
$11.65 MX$197
-7.81%
Cappuccino
$4.54 £3.36
$4.09 MX$69.2
11.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 £1.55
$1.37 MX$23.23
53.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 £0.91
$0.83 MX$14.09
49.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.73 £4.97
$3.35 MX$56.7
100.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.70 £4.95
$6.91 MX$117
-3.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.24
$1.73 MX$29.20
-2.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 £1.10
$2.26 MX$38.21
-34.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 £1.17
$1.77 MX$29.91
-10.73%
Eggs
$3.50 £2.58
$2.73 MX$46.19
28.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.61 £7.11
$9.18 MX$155
4.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.87 £6.56
$8.92 MX$151
-0.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.75 £7.95
$12.60 MX$213
-14.68%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 £2.47
$3.02 MX$51.1
10.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 £0.89
$1.57 MX$26.55
-22.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.78 £1.32
$2.13 MX$35.93
-16.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 £2.40
$2.26 MX$38.28
43.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 £0.99
$2.00 MX$33.88
-33.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 £0.92
$2.06 MX$34.90
-39.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 £0.68
$1.18 MX$19.94
-21.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 £1.02
$1.20 MX$20.35
15.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.01 £17.75
$4.63 MX$78.4
418.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.05 £8.17
$10.69 MX$181
3.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 £1.98
$1.62 MX$27.38
65.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.87 £2.86
$2.88 MX$48.70
34.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.65 £1.96
$0.57 MX$9.69
364.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$116 £85.9
$29.83 MX$504
289.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.27 £4.64
$5.45 MX$92.1
15.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.70 MX$62.6
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.98 MX$101
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.47
$1.55 MX$26.26
28.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.6K £29.3K
$22.3K MX$377.4K
77.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.7K £30.8K
$25.9K MX$438.7K
60.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$249 £184
$89.1 MX$1,507
179.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.15 £13.42
$25.04 MX$423
-27.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.96 £28.80
$31.50 MX$532
23.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.63 £28.55
$67.8 MX$1,146
-43.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.63 £18.21
$28.92 MX$489
-14.83%
Cinema Ticket
$15.94 £11.79
$5.05 MX$85.4
215.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$940 £695
$225 MX$3,803
317.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.0K £16.3K
$4,222 MX$71.4K
422.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.48 £18.10
$47.44 MX$802
-48.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.56 £18.89
$44.98 MX$760
-43.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.7 £72.9
$82.0 MX$1,386
20.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 £66.3
$92.1 MX$1,557
-2.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,118 £826
$1,069 MX$18.1K
4.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,024 £757
$405 MX$6,852
152.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,843 £1,362
$1,935 MX$32.7K
-4.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,317 £973
$1,301 MX$22.0K
1.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,915 £2,894
$3,995 MX$67.5K
-2.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,210 £2,373
$6,626 MX$112.0K
-51.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Peterborough
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,803 £2,072
$749 MX$12.7K
274.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.88
11.45
-57.38%

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

Last update for Peterborough: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,118 in Peterborough 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 274% higher in Peterborough, 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 $94.0 in Peterborough versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Peterborough vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Peterborough wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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
Peterborough vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Peterborough and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,198 in Peterborough, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 70% apart. Peterborough costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Peterborough compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,297 per month in Peterborough and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Peterborough and Playa del Carmen?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Peterborough and in Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 290% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Peterborough and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $940 per month in Peterborough and $225 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Peterborough at $2,198. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Peterborough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Peterborough and Playa del Carmen?
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 $2,198 in Peterborough. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Peterborough and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Peterborough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Peterborough vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities