Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Jasper

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $2,423 in Jasper, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Jasper
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Jasper Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Jasper

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Jasper

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Jasper actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,423 in Jasper.

Playa del Carmen $1,202
Jasper $2,423

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,535 in Jasper.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Jasper $3,535

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,962 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,647 in Jasper.

Playa del Carmen $2,962
Jasper $4,647

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Jasper, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Jasper is 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 MX$200

$15.55 CA$21.79

-31.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.80 MX$823

$84.8 CA$119

-48.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$221

$13.35 CA$18.71

-11.69%

Cappuccino

$3.79 MX$71.1

$4.65 CA$6.52

-18.49%

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

$1.30 MX$24.36

$2.37 CA$3.32

-45.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$15.65

$2.23 CA$3.13

-62.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$59.1

$6.51 CA$9.13

-51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

$5.15 CA$7.22

-4.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.46

$2.44 CA$3.42

-42.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$41.23

$2.78 CA$3.90

-20.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.66

$3.46 CA$4.85

-57.51%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$46.89

$3.84 CA$5.39

-34.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 MX$137

$14.47 CA$20.28

-49.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 MX$149

$17.12 CA$24.00

-53.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MX$242

$14.48 CA$20.30

-11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$54.4

$3.94 CA$5.52

-26.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$25.98

$1.31 CA$1.83

5.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MX$46.78

$3.56 CA$5.00

-30.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$38.12

$5.59 CA$7.83

-63.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$38.03

$2.36 CA$3.31

-14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$35.74

$2.24 CA$3.15

-15.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.49

$2.80 CA$3.92

-59.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$23.27

$1.61 CA$2.26

-22.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$80.2

$14.52 CA$20.35

-70.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 MX$184

$17.96 CA$25.17

-45.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.78

$2.79 CA$3.91

-43.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$51.6

$2.33 CA$3.27

18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$9.67

$2.26 CA$3.16

-77.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 MX$514

$62.5 CA$87.6

-56.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MX$89.4

$2.95 CA$4.13

61.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 MX$61.0

$1.49 CA$2.08

118.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$101

$23.48 CA$32.92

-77.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$28.70

$1.22 CA$1.71

25.41%

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

$21.2K MX$398.4K

$28.1K CA$39.4K

-24.44%

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

$23.3K MX$436.9K

$21.0K CA$29.5K

10.57%

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

$83.5 MX$1,568

$193 CA$271

-56.75%

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

$23.19 MX$435

$39.30 CA$55.1

-40.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.61 MX$519

$57.9 CA$81.2

-52.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,060

$70.8 CA$99.2

-20.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.19 MX$529

$17.90 CA$25.09

57.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 MX$93.9

$10.62 CA$14.88

-52.92%

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

$207 MX$3,889

$633 CA$888

-67.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 MX$98.2K

$13.2K CA$18.5K

-60.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.45 MX$816

$74.7 CA$105

-41.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 MX$799

$38.62 CA$54.1

10.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MX$1,367

$89.9 CA$126

-19.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,660

$107 CA$150

-17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$18.7K

$1,261 CA$1,767

-21.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 MX$7,181

$1,117 CA$1,566

-65.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 MX$31.4K

$2,242 CA$3,142

-25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 MX$20.3K

$1,697 CA$2,379

-36.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,909 MX$73.4K

$4,392 CA$6,156

-11.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,138 MX$115.3K

$3,585 CA$5,025

71.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$832 MX$15.6K

$1,629 CA$2,284

-48.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Last update for Jasper: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8%

Jasper

$1.1K 46.1% 192% $735

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4%

Jasper

$420 17.4% 63.3% $163

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7%

Jasper

$282 11.6% 40.6% $81

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2%

Jasper

$290 12% 116% $156

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3%

Jasper

$140 5.8% 25.6% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5%

Jasper

$92 3.8% 38.5% $26

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Jasper

$82 3.4% 62.3% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Playa del Carmen and $1,261 in Jasper. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jasper pays 96% 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: $44 in Playa del Carmen vs $85 in Jasper for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $420 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇨🇦 Jasper

🕒 Local time

01:10 1:10 AM

00:10 12:10 AM

1 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

4,600

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.74 EUR

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Jasper 4,460 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Jasper

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jasper: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is about 50% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Playa del Carmen. 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: $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,261 in Jasper. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Jasper. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $44 versus $85 in Jasper. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,202 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,423 in Jasper, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Jasper. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Jasper. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.