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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,252 in Picton versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,304 in Picton versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,356 in Picton versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Picton is roughly 74% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Picton is 68% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.89 CA$26.27

$11.73 MX$203

61.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 CA$76.9

$41.62 MX$719

32.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 CA$8.41

$10.64 MX$184

-43.23%

Cappuccino

$3.63 CA$5.04

$3.52 MX$60.8

3.12%

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

$1.89 CA$2.63

$1.51 MX$26.09

25.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$0.97 MX$16.82

54.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.55 CA$6.33

$2.95 MX$51.0

54.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 CA$9.29

$4.45 MX$77.0

50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.10

$1.38 MX$23.90

61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 CA$2.80

$1.89 MX$32.69

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.88

$1.64 MX$28.29

114.02%

Eggs

$2.91 CA$4.04

$2.51 MX$43.30

15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.59 CA$18.89

$8.34 MX$144

62.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.29 CA$18.48

$8.34 MX$144

59.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.64 CA$23.14

$10.73 MX$185

55.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.15

$2.60 MX$45.00

42.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.62

$1.46 MX$25.18

-19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.72

$1.90 MX$32.84

78.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 CA$5.04

$2.08 MX$35.88

74.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$1.78 MX$30.68

43.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.09

$2.19 MX$37.76

34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$1.04 MX$17.97

125.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.08 MX$18.60

4.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.67 CA$20.40

$4.08 MX$70.5

259.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.37 CA$19.98

$10.32 MX$178

39.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.84

$1.71 MX$29.59

61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.59

$2.58 MX$44.50

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$0.51 MX$8.81

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.5

$26.46 MX$457

137.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.26 MX$56.4

11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$2.49 MX$43.05

-42.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.95 CA$36.09

$3.25 MX$56.1

698.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.31 MX$22.59

-13.74%

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

$24.9K CA$34.6K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-17.91%

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

$21.4K CA$29.8K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-8.61%

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

$118 CA$164

$82.9 MX$1,432

42.31%

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

$37.99 CA$52.8

$22.22 MX$384

70.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$74.6

$29.34 MX$507

82.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 CA$59.1

$51.6 MX$892

-17.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.81 CA$16.42

$5.07 MX$87.5

132.94%

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

$1,113 CA$1,548

$201 MX$3,470

454.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K CA$25.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

249.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 CA$81.0

$36.92 MX$638

57.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.58 CA$55.0

$39.79 MX$688

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 CA$123

$78.5 MX$1,356

13.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 CA$163

$87.1 MX$1,505

34.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CA$1,840

$973 MX$16.8K

36.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 CA$1,623

$468 MX$8,082

149.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 CA$2,826

$1,641 MX$28.4K

23.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 CA$2,503

$1,221 MX$21.1K

47.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,883 CA$5,400

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-1.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,184 CA$4,428

$664 MX$11.5K

379.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

11.42

-54.82%

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

Last update for Picton: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,323 in Picton and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Picton pays 380% 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: $55.0 in Picton vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 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

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

Picton and Playa del Carmen differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($2,252 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Picton pays 380% 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: $1,323 in Picton versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $55.0 in Picton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,252 per month in Picton versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,252 in Picton, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Picton. 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, Picton 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 74% less than in Picton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.