Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort St John, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort St John, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,740 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,751 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 27% less than in Fort St John, BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Fort St John, BC is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$13.92 CA$19.52

-13.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$43.98 CA$61.7

-5.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$9.45 CA$13.24

13.76%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$4.42 CA$6.20

-20.81%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.86 CA$2.61

-22.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.31 CA$1.84

-32.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$6.68 CA$9.37

-55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$5.59 CA$7.84

-19.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.38 CA$3.33

-39.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$3.40 CA$4.77

-45.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$3.81 CA$5.34

-58.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.91 CA$5.48

-35.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.51 CA$9.13

27.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$12.39 CA$17.37

-31.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$19.09 CA$26.77

-44.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$5.25 CA$7.35

-50.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.67 CA$0.94

114.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$3.98 CA$5.58

-50.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$3.59 CA$5.03

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$5.23 CA$7.33

-64.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.87 CA$4.02

-24.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.46 CA$3.44

-58.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$2.19 CA$3.07

-51.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$14.61 CA$20.48

-71.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$21.01 CA$29.46

-51.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.86 CA$4.00

-41.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.08 CA$4.32

-17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$1.49 CA$2.09

-65.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$28.99 CA$40.64

-10.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$7.23 CA$10.13

-55.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.07 CA$1.50

125.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$25.59 CA$35.88

-87.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.26 CA$1.77

4.76%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$25.0K CA$35.0K

18.88%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

16.53%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$87.8 CA$123

-6.58%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$103 CA$144

-77.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$66.2 CA$92.9

-54.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$56.6 CA$79.3

-8.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$11.09 CA$15.55

-55.09%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$746 CA$1,047

-73.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

-55.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$72.7 CA$102

-51.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$47.98 CA$67.3

-15.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$83.6 CA$117

-5.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$148 CA$207

-39.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$578 CA$811

63.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$541 CA$759

-12.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,340 CA$1,879

22.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,094 CA$1,534

10.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,079 CA$4,317

-78.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.45

53.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $578 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 371% 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 $44.00 in Fort St John, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $411 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 Fort St John, BC: 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 371% lower in Fort St John, BC. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $578 in Fort St John, BC. 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 $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,730 in Fort St John, BC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort St John, BC. 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 Fort St John, BC, 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 38% less than in Fort St John, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.