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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,997 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,969 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,941 in Charlottetown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Charlottetown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Charlottetown is 46% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$14.61 CA$20.14

-10.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$61.5 CA$84.8

-24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$9.84 CA$13.56

27.95%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.70 CA$5.09

8.11%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$1.78 CA$2.45

-20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$1.34 CA$1.84

-39.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$5.88 CA$8.10

-48.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$5.78 CA$7.97

17.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.35 CA$3.24

-27.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$3.08 CA$4.25

-27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$5.07 CA$6.99

-66.07%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$4.11 CA$5.66

-34.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$11.76 CA$16.20

-20.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$15.82 CA$21.80

-43.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$17.94 CA$24.71

-28.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$3.57 CA$4.93

-12.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.43 CA$1.97

8.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$3.96 CA$5.45

-45.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$4.92 CA$6.78

-52.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.71 CA$2.35

18.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$3.20 CA$4.41

-37.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$2.84 CA$3.92

-56.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$2.01 CA$2.77

-40.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$18.36 CA$25.29

-74.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$13.96 CA$19.23

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$3.28 CA$4.51

-51.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.28 CA$4.52

-10.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.40 CA$1.93

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$14.63 CA$20.16

103.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$7.76 CA$10.69

-31.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.14 CA$2.95

73.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$28.94 CA$39.87

-80.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.25 CA$1.72

24.00%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$28.7K CA$39.5K

-22.01%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$19.6K CA$27.0K

30.73%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$129 CA$178

-30.94%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$33.36 CA$45.97

-30.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$74.8 CA$103

-57.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$60.2 CA$82.9

14.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$3.65 CA$5.03

705.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$10.91 CA$15.04

-53.62%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$164 CA$226

35.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$40.44 CA$55.7

14.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$34.05 CA$46.92

30.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$83.5 CA$115

14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$133 CA$183

-30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$1,116 CA$1,538

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$855 CA$1,178

-54.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$1,797 CA$2,476

10.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$1,396 CA$1,923

-6.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$3,243 CA$4,468

24.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$2,026 CA$2,791

227.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$2,482 CA$3,420

-69.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

4.58

153.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Charlottetown: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,116 in Charlottetown. 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 232% higher in Charlottetown, 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Charlottetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $424 – 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 Charlottetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Charlottetown costs about 50% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,995 in Charlottetown. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,997 in Charlottetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Charlottetown at $1,997. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charlottetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,330 versus $1,997 in Charlottetown. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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