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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,009 in Fort St John, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,062 in Fort St John, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,115 in Fort St John, BC.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 36% 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 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$199

$17.82 CA$24.68

-34.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$791

$43.75 CA$60.6

6.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$198

$9.53 CA$13.19

22.25%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.5

$3.88 CA$5.37

5.41%

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

$1.37 MX$23.34

$1.81 CA$2.51

-24.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.16

$1.25 CA$1.73

-33.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

$6.35 CA$8.80

-47.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.56 CA$6.32

51.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.33

$3.47 CA$4.81

-50.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.39

$2.94 CA$4.07

-23.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.05

$3.82 CA$5.29

-53.66%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.41

$4.03 CA$5.58

-32.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$12.07 CA$16.71

-23.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$13.58 CA$18.80

-34.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$19.00 CA$26.30

-33.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.3

$6.02 CA$8.34

-49.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.68

$0.68 CA$0.94

130.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.10

$3.76 CA$5.21

-43.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.46

$3.63 CA$5.03

-37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.04

$2.78 CA$3.85

-28.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.06

$2.82 CA$3.90

-26.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$20.04

$2.08 CA$2.88

-43.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.45

$2.47 CA$3.42

-51.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.7

$14.71 CA$20.37

-68.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

$21.48 CA$29.74

-50.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

$5.15 CA$7.13

-68.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

$5.73 CA$7.93

-49.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.74

$1.43 CA$1.97

-60.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

$28.62 CA$39.63

4.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$1.28 CA$1.78

21.09%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

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

$89.1 MX$1,514

$128 CA$177

-30.37%

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

$25.04 MX$425

$100 CA$139

-75.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$535

$60.4 CA$83.6

-47.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,151

$13.88 CA$19.21

388.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.8

$10.99 CA$15.22

-54.05%

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

$225 MX$3,820

$729 CA$1,009

-69.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$806

$71.5 CA$99.0

-33.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$764

$47.09 CA$65.2

-4.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,392

$107 CA$148

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

$144 CA$199

-36.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.2K

$746 CA$1,033

43.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,884

$730 CA$1,011

-44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

$1,580 CA$2,188

22.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

$1,422 CA$1,969

-8.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$3,100 CA$4,293

-75.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.1

87.70%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Fort St John, BC: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $746 in Fort St John, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort St John, BC pays 314% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Fort St John, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $456, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 314% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $746 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 $47.00 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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,009 in Fort St John, BC – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,009 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 55% less than in Fort St John, BC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.