Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and North Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and North Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,389 in North Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,527 in North Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,665 in North Bay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 46% cheaper than North Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while North Bay is 78% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$14.44 CA$19.99

-18.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$80.7 CA$112

-48.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.72 CA$12.08

22.02%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.28 CA$4.54

7.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.01 CA$2.79

-24.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.35 CA$1.87

-28.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.23 CA$7.24

-43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.72 CA$9.30

-33.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.80 CA$2.49

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.34 CA$3.24

-19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$6.78 CA$9.39

-75.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.34 CA$4.62

-24.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$21.09 CA$29.20

-60.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$18.30 CA$25.34

-54.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.98 CA$15.20

-2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.43 CA$6.13

-41.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.45 CA$2.00

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$3.65 CA$5.05

-47.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.49 CA$4.84

-40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.47 CA$3.42

-27.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.08 CA$2.88

5.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$2.88 CA$3.98

-63.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$2.72 CA$3.76

-60.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$13.47 CA$18.65

-69.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.30 CA$19.79

-27.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.54 CA$3.52

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.40 CA$4.71

-24.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.46 CA$3.41

-79.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$74.6 CA$103

-64.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$4.10 CA$5.67

-20.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.06 CA$1.47

134.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$25.37 CA$35.12

-87.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.15 CA$1.59

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$25.0K CA$34.6K

21.18%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.2K CA$27.9K

16.18%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$146 CA$203

-43.40%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.65 CA$46.59

-33.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$59.8 CA$82.8

-50.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$25.34 CA$35.09

103.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$10.90 CA$15.10

-53.49%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$909 CA$1,259

-77.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$28.4K CA$39.3K

-81.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$44.22 CA$61.2

-16.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$18.24 CA$25.25

118.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$60.8 CA$84.2

28.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$80.2 CA$111

8.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,361 CA$1,884

-28.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$1,252 CA$1,734

-62.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,323 CA$3,217

-29.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,164 CA$2,997

-43.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,013 CA$4,172

-77.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.45

77.05%

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 North Bay: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,361 in North Bay. 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 354% higher in North Bay, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.0 in North Bay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $436 – 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 North Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Bay costs about 84% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,583 in North Bay. 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.

Public transport costs about 182% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $909 in North Bay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in North Bay at $2,389. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,389 in North Bay. 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, North Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.