Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and the Canaries

For one person, living is cheaper in the Canaries: $185 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Canaries

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in the Canaries

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in the Canaries actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $185 in the Canaries, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Canaries $185

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $278 in the Canaries, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Canaries $278

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $370 in the Canaries, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Canaries $370

Playa del Carmen costs about 550% more than the Canaries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Canaries are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Canaries 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$815

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.6

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

$1.28 MX$24.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.43

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.66

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.64

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.41

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$137

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$239

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.71

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.90

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.44

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.55

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.7

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.14

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

$20.7K MX$388.4K

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

$23.5K MX$441.0K

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

$84.8 MX$1,594

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

$23.41 MX$440

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,072

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.6

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

$207 MX$3,882

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$815

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$779

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,394

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,677

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

$183 EC$494

435.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,157

$185 EC$500

105.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

$297 EC$803

474.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

$370 EC$1,000

190.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.1K

$186 EC$502

2019.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.7K

$259 EC$699

2279.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for the Canaries: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Canaries

–

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Canaries

–

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Canaries

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Canaries

–

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Canaries

–

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Canaries

–

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Canaries

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $183 in the Canaries. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇱🇨 Canaries

🕒 Local time

21:37 9:37 PM

22:37 10:37 PM

1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

1,862

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.332 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.01 XCD (1 XCD = 0.332 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Canaries 2,860 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Canaries

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Canaries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 550% more than the Canaries, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $278 in the Canaries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in the Canaries, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $183 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in the Canaries, where all-in costs run around $185, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Canaries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $185 in the Canaries to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.