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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,433 in Armstrong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,470 in Armstrong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,506 in Armstrong.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 48% less than in Armstrong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Armstrong is 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$22.21 CA$30.42

-47.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$71.0 CA$97.3

-39.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$10.95 CA$15.00

-3.20%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.70 CA$5.07

-2.97%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$2.62 CA$3.59

-44.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.91 CA$2.62

-52.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.98 CA$8.19

-49.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$6.64 CA$9.10

-31.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$2.78 CA$3.81

-47.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.54 CA$3.48

-27.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$3.40 CA$4.66

-52.65%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$3.82 CA$5.23

-33.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$9.94 CA$13.62

-14.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$10.60 CA$14.52

-20.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$15.82 CA$21.68

-31.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$3.84 CA$5.27

-28.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.72 CA$2.36

-13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$4.01 CA$5.50

-51.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$4.08 CA$5.58

-47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.65 CA$3.64

-30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.22 CA$3.05

-1.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$2.83 CA$3.87

-62.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$1.75 CA$2.40

-38.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$13.37 CA$18.32

-69.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$13.25 CA$18.15

-21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$3.47 CA$4.76

-52.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$3.85 CA$5.28

-33.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$2.33 CA$3.20

-75.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$63.3 CA$86.7

-58.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$2.49 CA$3.41

26.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.66 CA$2.28

42.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$12.76 CA$17.48

-74.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.27 CA$1.74

3.15%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$24.9K CA$34.2K

22.44%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

19.03%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$163 CA$224

-49.12%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$45.14 CA$61.8

-50.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$63.6 CA$87.1

-53.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$41.94 CA$57.5

22.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$10.66 CA$14.60

-54.13%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$444 CA$609

-55.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$4,116 CA$5,639

26.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$60.8 CA$83.3

-40.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$39.10 CA$53.6

0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$81.8 CA$112

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$78.4 CA$107

11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,313 CA$1,798

-26.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$1,169 CA$1,601

-58.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$2,028 CA$2,778

-18.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$1,823 CA$2,497

-34.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$4,275 CA$5,856

-7.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$3,225 CA$4,419

101.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$1,096 CA$1,501

-33.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.36

79.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Armstrong: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,313 in Armstrong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Armstrong pays 51% 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: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $71 in Armstrong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $375 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Armstrong earns 51% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,313 in Armstrong. 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 141% less than in Armstrong. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $199 in Playa del Carmen versus $444 in Armstrong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,433 in Armstrong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Armstrong. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Armstrong, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Armstrong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.