Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Iqaluit, NU Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Iqaluit, NU

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 59% less than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Iqaluit, NU is 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$31.86 CA$44.83

-62.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$67.5 CA$94.9

-38.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$13.19 CA$18.56

-18.50%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$6.80 CA$9.56

-48.53%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$3.93 CA$5.53

-63.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.68 CA$2.36

-47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$6.69 CA$9.42

-55.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$5.74 CA$8.08

-21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.44 CA$3.44

-41.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.70 CA$3.80

-31.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.89 CA$4.07

-45.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.48 CA$6.30

-43.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$12.15 CA$17.09

-31.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$13.61 CA$19.15

-38.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$25.53 CA$35.93

-58.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.96 CA$2.76

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.95 CA$4.16

-51.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.98 CA$2.79

-1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.02 CA$2.84

3.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.94 CA$4.14

-37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$4.04 CA$5.69

-46.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.03 CA$4.26

-66.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$3.60 CA$5.07

-70.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$13.96 CA$19.64

-70.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.07 CA$16.98

-15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.51 CA$2.12

11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.22 CA$3.13

13.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$2.30 CA$3.24

-77.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$145 CA$204

-82.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$6.47 CA$9.11

-50.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.72 CA$1.02

234.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$26.24 CA$36.92

-87.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.31 CA$1.85

0.76%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$49.4K CA$69.5K

-39.87%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$45.7K CA$64.3K

-48.23%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$118 CA$167

-30.73%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$56.1 CA$79.0

-59.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$55.8 CA$78.5

-46.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$41.48 CA$58.4

25.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$22.06 CA$31.03

-16.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.50 CA$11.96

-41.41%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$989 CA$1,392

-80.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,940 CA$5,545

35.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$62.5 CA$88.0

-43.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$36.72 CA$51.7

9.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$101 CA$142

-22.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$122 CA$172

-27.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,709 CA$2,404

-44.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$1,615 CA$2,272

-70.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$3,034 CA$4,269

-45.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,786 CA$2,514

-32.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$4,270 CA$6,008

-5.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$3,563 CA$5,014

81.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$4,212 CA$5,927

-84.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.1

40.99%

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 Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 544% 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 $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $416 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 Iqaluit, NU: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 544% lower in Iqaluit, NU. 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 $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $989 in Iqaluit, NU. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Iqaluit, NU. 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 Iqaluit, NU, 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 142% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.