Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Medicine Hat

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $1,806 in Medicine Hat, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Medicine Hat
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Medicine Hat Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Medicine Hat

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,806

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Medicine Hat

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 Medicine Hat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,806 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,210
Medicine Hat $1,806

A couple spends around $2,113 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,707 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,113
Medicine Hat $2,707

A family of three spends $3,016 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,608 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $3,016
Medicine Hat $3,608

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Medicine Hat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 10% below the global median, while Medicine Hat is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 MX$199

$14.42 CA$20.39

-25.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.03 MX$795

$70.9 CA$100

-39.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$218

$9.84 CA$13.91

19.82%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$71.4

$3.65 CA$5.16

6.03%

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

$1.37 MX$25.29

$1.91 CA$2.70

-28.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MX$15.44

$1.74 CA$2.46

-51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 MX$57.3

$4.87 CA$6.88

-36.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MX$93.6

$3.81 CA$5.39

33.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.55

$1.52 CA$2.14

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 MX$41.23

$1.73 CA$2.45

28.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$3.41 CA$4.82

-56.89%

Eggs

$2.53 MX$46.71

$3.04 CA$4.30

-16.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 MX$135

$9.36 CA$13.23

-22.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 MX$145

$10.75 CA$15.19

-26.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 MX$236

$12.84 CA$18.15

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$53.6

$3.16 CA$4.47

-8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.53

$1.45 CA$2.05

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.07

$2.87 CA$4.06

-11.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$38.03

$3.57 CA$5.05

-42.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$36.97

$2.63 CA$3.71

-23.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$37.07

$1.46 CA$2.07

37.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 MX$22.02

$2.62 CA$3.71

-54.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$23.23

$1.54 CA$2.17

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 MX$81.4

$11.29 CA$15.96

-61.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 MX$177

$12.62 CA$17.84

-24.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.41

$2.45 CA$3.46

-35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$51.9

$3.14 CA$4.44

-10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$10.47

$2.25 CA$3.18

-74.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MX$514

$49.74 CA$70.3

-44.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MX$92.1

$3.22 CA$4.56

54.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$64.6

$1.33 CA$1.88

163.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 MX$99.8

$27.09 CA$38.30

-80.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.08

$1.00 CA$1.42

47.00%

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

$21.0K MX$387.8K

$27.7K CA$39.2K

-24.27%

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

$23.9K MX$441.8K

$18.5K CA$26.2K

28.93%

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

$84.2 MX$1,556

$163 CA$231

-48.37%

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

$23.99 MX$443

$38.36 CA$54.2

-37.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.02 MX$536

$50.9 CA$71.9

-42.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 MX$1,164

$53.1 CA$75.1

18.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.14 MX$539

$35.70 CA$50.5

-18.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.94 MX$91.3

$13.95 CA$19.72

-64.59%

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

$204 MX$3,763

$782 CA$1,105

-73.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,941 MX$72.8K

$15.6K CA$22.0K

-74.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.60 MX$806

$50.9 CA$72.0

-14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 MX$797

$26.16 CA$36.98

64.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MX$1,400

$66.9 CA$94.6

13.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 MX$1,637

$65.9 CA$93.2

34.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 MX$18.6K

$800 CA$1,131

25.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 MX$6,911

$759 CA$1,073

-50.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.6K

$1,338 CA$1,891

27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 MX$20.4K

$1,226 CA$1,733

-9.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 MX$72.9K

$1,314 CA$1,858

200.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,169 MX$114.0K

$1,905 CA$2,693

223.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 MX$13.9K

$2,951 CA$4,171

-74.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.51

153.88%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9%

Medicine Hat

$759 42% 103% $385

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4%

Medicine Hat

$316 17.5% 22.3% $58

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7%

Medicine Hat

$235 13% 16.3% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3%

Medicine Hat

$252 14% 83.9% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3%

Medicine Hat

$94 5.2% 16.4% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$73 6%

Medicine Hat

$81 4.5% 11.1% $8.1

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3%

Medicine Hat

$69 3.8% 30.5% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,008 in Playa del Carmen versus $800 in Medicine Hat. 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 291% higher in Medicine Hat, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $316 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇨🇦 Medicine Hat

🕒 Local time

09:05 9:05 AM

08:05 8:05 AM

1 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

56,997

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 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 October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Medicine Hat 3,870 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Medicine Hat

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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medicine Hat costs about 49% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,710 in Medicine Hat. 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 $1,210 in Playa del Carmen and $1,806 in Medicine Hat. That's a gap of about 49%.

Public transport costs about 79% 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 $1,210, than in Medicine Hat at $1,806. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medicine Hat it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,210 versus $1,806 in Medicine Hat. 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, Medicine Hat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.