Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cambridge Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Cambridge Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,444 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,497 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 47% less than in Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Cambridge Bay is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$23.58 CA$32.30

-50.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$740

$70.0 CA$96.0

-38.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$11.11 CA$15.22

-4.59%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.2

$3.67 CA$5.02

-2.18%

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

$1.45 MX$25.15

$2.06 CA$2.83

-29.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.55

$1.70 CA$2.32

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$5.60 CA$7.67

-45.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.0

$6.04 CA$8.28

-24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.14

$2.09 CA$2.87

-30.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.64

$2.61 CA$3.58

-29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.85

$3.49 CA$4.78

-53.87%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.95

$3.37 CA$4.62

-24.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$11.01 CA$15.09

-22.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$11.59 CA$15.87

-26.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$14.88 CA$20.38

-27.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.26

$3.98 CA$5.45

-31.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.85

$1.40 CA$1.92

6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.65

$3.68 CA$5.05

-47.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.49

$3.78 CA$5.17

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.97

$2.48 CA$3.40

-25.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.91

$2.54 CA$3.48

-13.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$2.64 CA$3.61

-59.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$1.71 CA$2.34

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$13.77 CA$18.87

-70.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$181

$14.11 CA$19.34

-25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.64

$2.94 CA$4.02

-43.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.13

$3.01 CA$4.12

-15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$2.31 CA$3.16

-75.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$454

$63.0 CA$86.4

-58.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.4

$3.25 CA$4.46

-3.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.08

$1.48 CA$2.02

60.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$25.78 CA$35.32

-87.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.12 CA$1.54

16.96%

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

$30.5K MX$528.9K

$25.2K CA$34.5K

21.35%

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

$23.8K MX$412.6K

$20.9K CA$28.6K

14.01%

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

$83.1 MX$1,440

$141 CA$193

-41.02%

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

$22.15 MX$384

$43.08 CA$59.0

-48.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$509

$63.3 CA$86.7

-53.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$887

$41.53 CA$56.9

23.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.7

$11.35 CA$15.55

-56.92%

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

$199 MX$3,441

$746 CA$1,022

-73.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.2K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

-56.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$622

$54.1 CA$74.1

-33.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$682

$39.24 CA$53.8

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,391

$86.3 CA$118

-6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,517

$108 CA$148

-18.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,318 CA$1,805

-26.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,350

$1,178 CA$1,614

-59.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.5K

$1,978 CA$2,710

-16.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.6K

$1,782 CA$2,442

-33.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.5K

$4,344 CA$5,951

-8.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$112.8K

$3,392 CA$4,647

92.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.46

76.78%

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 Cambridge Bay: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,318 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $70 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $365 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 Cambridge Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Cambridge Bay differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,262 vs $2,391 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,894 in Playa del Carmen and $3,586 in Cambridge Bay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,318 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 141% less than in Cambridge Bay. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,391 in Cambridge Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Cambridge Bay. 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.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Cambridge Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.