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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,029 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,665 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,300 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 58% less than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Iqaluit, NU is 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$27.71 CA$38.76

-58.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$63.9 CA$89.4

-26.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$13.06 CA$18.27

-9.04%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$7.00 CA$9.79

-43.14%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$3.86 CA$5.41

-62.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.60 CA$2.23

-48.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$6.87 CA$9.61

-53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.66 CA$7.91

19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.48 CA$3.47

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.60 CA$3.63

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$3.29 CA$4.61

-48.02%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.53 CA$4.93

-22.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.88 CA$13.82

-3.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$13.54 CA$18.95

-33.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.64 CA$20.49

-12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.92 CA$5.48

-26.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.30 CA$1.83

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.66 CA$5.12

-41.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.94 CA$5.51

-42.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.62 CA$3.67

-24.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.27 CA$3.17

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.55 CA$3.56

-51.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.61 CA$2.25

-25.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$13.82 CA$19.33

-67.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.55 CA$17.56

-17.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.72 CA$3.81

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.03 CA$4.24

-4.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.36 CA$3.30

-74.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$62.9 CA$88.1

-54.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$6.75 CA$9.45

-20.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.40 CA$1.96

166.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$26.05 CA$36.44

-77.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.18 CA$1.66

30.51%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$38.3K CA$53.6K

-41.14%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$31.4K CA$44.0K

-17.11%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$117 CA$163

-21.58%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$39.86 CA$55.8

-36.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$56.5 CA$79.0

-44.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$40.87 CA$57.2

64.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$18.10 CA$25.32

60.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$8.24 CA$11.52

-41.02%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$782 CA$1,095

-71.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$12.7K CA$17.8K

-66.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$53.6 CA$74.9

-12.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$39.17 CA$54.8

13.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$86.4 CA$121

-7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$103 CA$144

-9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,843 CA$2,578

-42.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,692 CA$2,368

-76.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,914 CA$4,076

-26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$3,500 CA$4,896

-63.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,372 CA$6,116

-8.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$3,598 CA$5,033

80.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,281 CA$5,989

-82.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.32

115.23%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,843 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 465% 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 $64.0 in Iqaluit, NU for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $368 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 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 465% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,843 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $782 in Iqaluit, NU. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,029 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 139% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.