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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,047 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,042 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 3% below, Iqaluit, NU is 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$31.29 CA$43.48

-62.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$65.7 CA$91.3

-36.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$12.97 CA$18.03

-17.96%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$6.69 CA$9.30

-47.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.99 CA$5.55

-62.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.68 CA$2.34

-42.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$6.89 CA$9.57

-57.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$5.99 CA$8.33

-25.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.44 CA$3.38

-43.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.69 CA$3.74

-29.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.00 CA$4.17

-45.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$4.41 CA$6.13

-43.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.17 CA$16.91

-31.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.62 CA$18.93

-38.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$24.77 CA$34.42

-56.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.03 CA$2.83

28.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.98 CA$4.13

-51.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.97 CA$2.73

-3.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.03 CA$2.82

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.96 CA$4.12

-39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$3.90 CA$5.42

-43.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.99 CA$4.15

-65.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$3.55 CA$4.93

-69.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$14.43 CA$20.05

-71.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.80 CA$17.79

-19.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.46 CA$2.03

17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.19 CA$3.04

17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$2.35 CA$3.27

-78.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$144 CA$200

-81.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$6.82 CA$9.47

-52.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.71 CA$0.98

250.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$25.47 CA$35.38

-87.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.27 CA$1.77

3.15%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$50.5K CA$70.2K

-40.08%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$45.7K CA$63.5K

-48.72%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$119 CA$165

-30.23%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$54.3 CA$75.5

-59.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$56.3 CA$78.2

-47.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$42.07 CA$58.5

22.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$22.02 CA$30.59

-16.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$8.50 CA$11.82

-40.35%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$1,019 CA$1,416

-80.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,997 CA$5,553

30.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$62.9 CA$87.3

-41.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$36.88 CA$51.2

7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$103 CA$143

-23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$121 CA$168

-27.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,687 CA$2,344

-42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,567 CA$2,177

-70.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,136 CA$4,357

-47.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,838 CA$2,554

-33.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,603 CA$6,395

-14.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$3,811 CA$5,295

70.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,299 CA$5,973

-84.56%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 547% 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 $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $414 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 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Iqaluit, NU earns 547% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,019 in Iqaluit, NU. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,053 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 135% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.