Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Brandon, MB Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Brandon, MB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,702 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,695 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,687 in Brandon, MB, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 24% cheaper than Brandon, MB, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Brandon, MB is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.23 CA$22.54

-27.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$66.3 CA$92.1

-37.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.95 CA$11.04

33.84%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.58 CA$4.97

-1.68%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.66 CA$2.30

-9.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.62 CA$2.25

-40.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$5.46 CA$7.59

-45.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$6.56 CA$9.11

-32.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.60 CA$2.23

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.28 CA$3.17

-17.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.49 CA$4.84

-53.01%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.06 CA$4.25

-17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.86 CA$15.09

-23.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.75 CA$13.55

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.90 CA$20.70

-27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.74 CA$5.20

-30.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.32 CA$1.83

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.11 CA$4.31

-38.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.55 CA$4.94

-41.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.77 CA$3.85

-35.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.51 CA$3.48

-12.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.52 CA$3.51

-58.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.50 CA$2.09

-28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$15.33 CA$21.30

-73.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.95 CA$17.99

-20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$3.01 CA$4.18

-43.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.53 CA$4.90

-26.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.26 CA$1.75

-59.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$71.9 CA$99.9

-63.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.19 CA$4.44

2.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.31 CA$1.81

90.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$26.37 CA$36.63

-87.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.03 CA$1.43

27.18%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.5K CA$32.6K

29.04%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$22.0K CA$30.6K

6.29%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$157 CA$218

-47.27%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$42.22 CA$58.7

-47.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$60.6 CA$84.1

-51.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$41.24 CA$57.3

25.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.76 CA$23.29

9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$12.27 CA$17.04

-58.68%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$964 CA$1,339

-79.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$12.2K CA$17.0K

-57.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$47.07 CA$65.4

-21.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$41.21 CA$57.3

-3.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$79.0 CA$110

-0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$86.8 CA$121

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$820 CA$1,139

18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$595 CA$827

-21.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,303 CA$1,810

25.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,269 CA$1,763

-3.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,359 CA$3,278

67.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,359 CA$3,278

175.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,472 CA$3,435

-73.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.02

89.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Brandon, MB: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $820 in Brandon, MB. 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 272% higher in Brandon, MB, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $66.0 in Brandon, MB. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $337 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Brandon, MB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Brandon, MB is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,553 in Brandon, MB. 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.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Brandon, MB, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $66.0 in Brandon, MB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Brandon, MB at $1,702. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brandon, MB it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brandon, MB makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.