Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nakusp Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Nakusp

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,376 in Nakusp, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,435 in Nakusp, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,493 in Nakusp, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 47% cheaper than Nakusp, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Nakusp is 79% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$16.78 CA$23.51

-30.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$69.5 CA$97.4

-39.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$11.16 CA$15.65

-5.82%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.89 CA$5.45

-7.71%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.96 CA$2.74

-22.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.65 CA$2.32

-44.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$5.39 CA$7.56

-45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$6.02 CA$8.44

-26.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.10 CA$2.95

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.73 CA$3.82

-31.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.49 CA$4.88

-55.30%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.44 CA$4.83

-24.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.20 CA$15.70

-25.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$11.87 CA$16.63

-29.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$14.73 CA$20.65

-26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.11 CA$5.76

-34.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.43 CA$2.00

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$3.73 CA$5.23

-49.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$3.71 CA$5.19

-40.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.42 CA$3.40

-23.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.55 CA$3.57

-12.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.53 CA$3.55

-57.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.71 CA$2.39

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$14.22 CA$19.93

-70.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.51 CA$17.53

-16.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.79 CA$3.91

-40.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.16 CA$4.42

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.43 CA$3.41

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$63.7 CA$89.3

-58.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.22 CA$4.52

-4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.49 CA$2.09

61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$25.99 CA$36.42

-87.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.12 CA$1.57

16.96%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$24.5K CA$34.4K

21.52%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

14.16%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$144 CA$201

-43.36%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$44.29 CA$62.1

-49.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$62.9 CA$88.1

-52.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$41.67 CA$58.4

26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.33 CA$15.88

-56.58%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$727 CA$1,019

-72.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

-56.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$54.9 CA$77.0

-34.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$39.54 CA$55.4

1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$88.0 CA$123

-9.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$107 CA$150

-19.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,321 CA$1,851

-25.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,186 CA$1,662

-60.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,990 CA$2,788

-17.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,791 CA$2,510

-32.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,686 CA$5,165

7.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$4,068 CA$5,701

62.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.46

76.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nakusp: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,321 in Nakusp. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.0 in Nakusp. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $364 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Nakusp: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nakusp costs about 89% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,565 in Nakusp. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $70.0 in Nakusp. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $2,376 in Nakusp. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Nakusp at $2,376. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nakusp it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,260 versus $2,376 in Nakusp. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nakusp makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.