Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hay River, NT Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Hay River, NT

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,367 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,368 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,368 in Hay River, NT, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 47% cheaper than Hay River, NT, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Hay River, NT is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$17.04 CA$23.34

-31.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$70.1 CA$96.1

-39.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$11.15 CA$15.28

-4.93%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.74 CA$5.12

-4.01%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$2.04 CA$2.80

-28.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.71 CA$2.34

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.43 CA$7.44

-44.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$5.75 CA$7.87

-20.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$2.19 CA$3.00

-33.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.72 CA$3.73

-32.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$3.48 CA$4.77

-53.74%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$3.52 CA$4.82

-27.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$11.26 CA$15.43

-24.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$11.68 CA$16.00

-27.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$14.67 CA$20.09

-25.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$4.13 CA$5.65

-33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.40 CA$1.92

6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$3.75 CA$5.14

-48.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$3.86 CA$5.28

-44.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.50 CA$3.43

-26.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.57 CA$3.52

-14.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$2.62 CA$3.59

-59.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$1.71 CA$2.34

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$13.75 CA$18.83

-70.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$12.99 CA$17.79

-19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$2.93 CA$4.02

-43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$3.18 CA$4.36

-19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$2.34 CA$3.21

-76.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$63.5 CA$87.0

-58.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$3.25 CA$4.46

-3.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.42 CA$1.95

66.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$26.14 CA$35.81

-87.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.17 CA$1.61

11.97%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$24.7K CA$33.9K

23.56%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$20.3K CA$27.8K

17.55%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$140 CA$192

-40.68%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$44.03 CA$60.3

-49.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$62.0 CA$84.9

-52.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$41.78 CA$57.2

22.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$11.57 CA$15.86

-57.74%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$735 CA$1,008

-72.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

-56.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$54.3 CA$74.4

-33.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$39.31 CA$53.9

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$88.0 CA$121

-8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$105 CA$144

-16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,332 CA$1,825

-27.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$1,179 CA$1,615

-59.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$2,033 CA$2,785

-19.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$1,814 CA$2,485

-34.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$3,893 CA$5,333

1.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$3,868 CA$5,299

68.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$4,348 CA$5,956

-83.29%

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 Hay River, NT: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,332 in Hay River, NT. 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 499% higher in Hay River, NT, 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $70 in Hay River, NT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $367 – 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 Hay River, NT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hay River, NT costs about 88% 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 $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,551 in Hay River, NT. 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $2,367 in Hay River, NT. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 142% 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 $1,262, than in Hay River, NT at $2,367. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hay River, NT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,262 versus $2,367 in Hay River, NT. 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, Hay River, NT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.