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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,432 in Calgary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,624 in Calgary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,816 in Calgary.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Calgary is 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$18.52 CA$26.12

-35.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$70.6 CA$99.6

-40.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$11.03 CA$15.55

-5.53%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$3.88 CA$5.48

-9.54%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$1.97 CA$2.79

-22.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.85

$1.66 CA$2.34

-45.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

$5.19 CA$7.32

-41.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

$6.58 CA$9.28

-33.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$2.21 CA$3.11

-35.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$2.67 CA$3.77

-31.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$3.35 CA$4.72

-51.34%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$3.39 CA$4.78

-25.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$14.59 CA$20.58

-41.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$12.95 CA$18.27

-34.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$15.84 CA$22.34

-31.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$4.30 CA$6.07

-36.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$1.30 CA$1.84

10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.84

$3.88 CA$5.47

-51.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$4.22 CA$5.96

-48.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$2.55 CA$3.60

-30.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$2.72 CA$3.84

-18.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$2.74 CA$3.87

-60.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$1.93 CA$2.73

-44.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$15.00 CA$21.15

-72.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

$14.67 CA$20.69

-28.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

$2.89 CA$4.07

-39.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.93

$4.03 CA$5.68

-35.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$2.79 CA$3.94

-81.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$452

$85.7 CA$121

-69.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$3.59 CA$5.06

-10.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$1.35 CA$1.91

85.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$28.84 CA$40.68

-88.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$1.08 CA$1.53

16.67%

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

$29.7K MX$516.7K

$25.4K CA$35.8K

16.90%

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

$23.7K MX$412.2K

$21.7K CA$30.6K

9.25%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$216 CA$304

-61.94%

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

$22.73 MX$396

$41.66 CA$58.8

-45.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$58.7 CA$82.8

-49.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$53.6 CA$75.6

-2.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$52.1 CA$73.5

-64.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$12.72 CA$17.95

-61.24%

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

$202 MX$3,512

$885 CA$1,248

-77.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$15.8K CA$22.3K

-66.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$57.9 CA$81.7

-37.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$47.31 CA$66.7

-14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$88.3 CA$124

-9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$107 CA$151

-16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$1,368 CA$1,929

-30.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,098

$1,181 CA$1,666

-60.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$2,364 CA$3,335

-31.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$1,872 CA$2,641

-36.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.5K

$3,737 CA$5,270

5.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$3,424 CA$4,829

87.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$2,999 CA$4,229

-78.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.71

100.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Calgary: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $1,368 in Calgary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calgary pays 356% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $71.0 in Calgary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $397 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 Calgary: 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, salaries run 356% lower in Calgary. 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: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,368 in Calgary. 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 $71.0 in Calgary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,432 in Calgary – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,432 in Calgary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Calgary. 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 Calgary, 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 Calgary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.