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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,277 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,258 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,238 in Peterborough.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 44% less than in Peterborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Peterborough is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$13.41 CA$18.76

-13.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$72.4 CA$101

-34.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.69 CA$14.95

11.13%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.71 CA$5.18

7.28%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.80 CA$2.52

-20.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.46 CA$2.04

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$5.88 CA$8.23

-45.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.69 CA$7.95

19.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.58 CA$3.61

-34.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.39 CA$3.34

-7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.48 CA$3.46

-31.05%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.24 CA$4.53

-15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.36 CA$15.90

-15.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$11.43 CA$15.99

-21.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.85 CA$19.38

-7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.35 CA$4.69

-13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.46 CA$2.04

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.39 CA$4.75

-36.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.12 CA$5.76

-45.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.89 CA$2.64

4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.30 CA$3.21

-13.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.29 CA$3.20

-46.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.50 CA$2.10

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$11.43 CA$15.99

-60.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.13 CA$18.37

-21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.34 CA$3.27

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.58 CA$2.20

82.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.40 CA$3.36

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$46.75 CA$65.4

-38.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.11 CA$4.35

73.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.25 CA$1.75

198.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$21.52 CA$30.11

-73.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.13 CA$1.58

36.28%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$28.6K CA$40.0K

-21.08%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$19.7K CA$27.5K

32.53%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$144 CA$201

-36.35%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$35.09 CA$49.09

-28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$46.90 CA$65.6

-33.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$45.78 CA$64.1

46.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$14.43 CA$20.18

101.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$11.64 CA$16.29

-58.25%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$354 CA$495

-36.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$10.7K CA$15.0K

-60.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$42.75 CA$59.8

10.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$39.24 CA$54.9

12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$86.7 CA$121

-7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$74.6 CA$104

24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,414 CA$1,977

-24.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$1,235 CA$1,727

-68.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$2,085 CA$2,916

3.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,833 CA$2,564

-30.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$6,705 CA$9,379

-40.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$6,380 CA$8,924

1.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$2,990 CA$4,183

-74.64%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,414 in Peterborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Peterborough pays 294% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $72.0 in Peterborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $344 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 Peterborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 294% lower in Peterborough. 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,414 in Peterborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 62% less than in Peterborough. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $354 in Peterborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,277 in Peterborough, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Peterborough. 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 Peterborough, 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 80% less than in Peterborough. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.