Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Prince Rupert, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,989 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 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
95

Cost of Living Index in Prince Rupert, BC
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Prince Rupert, BC Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Prince Rupert, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,989

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Prince Rupert, BC

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 Prince Rupert, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,202 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,989 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,202
Prince Rupert, BC $1,989

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,170 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Prince Rupert, BC $3,170

A family of three spends $2,962 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,350 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,962
Prince Rupert, BC $4,350

Playa del Carmen is about 40% cheaper than Prince Rupert, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 11% below the global median, while Prince Rupert, BC is 47% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 MX$200

$17.71 CA$24.82

-39.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.80 MX$823

$65.4 CA$91.7

-33.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.79 MX$221

$10.59 CA$14.84

11.33%

Cappuccino

$3.79 MX$71.1

$3.81 CA$5.33

-0.52%

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

$1.30 MX$24.36

$1.98 CA$2.78

-34.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$15.65

$1.70 CA$2.38

-51.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$59.1

$5.20 CA$7.29

-39.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

$5.63 CA$7.89

-12.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.46

$2.01 CA$2.82

-29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$41.23

$2.62 CA$3.67

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$27.66

$3.34 CA$4.68

-55.99%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$46.89

$5.07 CA$7.10

-50.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 MX$137

$10.70 CA$15.01

-31.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 MX$149

$13.09 CA$18.36

-39.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MX$242

$13.44 CA$18.85

-4.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MX$54.4

$1.74 CA$2.44

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$25.98

$1.05 CA$1.47

31.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MX$46.78

$3.97 CA$5.56

-37.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$38.12

$3.90 CA$5.46

-47.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$38.03

$2.43 CA$3.41

-16.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$35.74

$2.12 CA$2.97

-10.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.49

$2.48 CA$3.48

-54.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$23.27

$1.68 CA$2.35

-26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$80.2

$14.12 CA$19.79

-69.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.81 MX$184

$13.04 CA$18.27

-24.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.78

$2.69 CA$3.77

-40.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 MX$51.6

$3.04 CA$4.26

-9.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$9.67

$2.35 CA$3.30

-78.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.39 MX$514

$62.3 CA$87.3

-56.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MX$89.4

$2.99 CA$4.19

59.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 MX$61.0

$1.50 CA$2.10

116.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$101

$22.18 CA$31.10

-75.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$28.70

$1.33 CA$1.86

15.04%

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

$21.2K MX$398.4K

$30.9K CA$43.3K

-31.32%

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

$23.3K MX$436.9K

$21.2K CA$29.7K

9.73%

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

$83.5 MX$1,568

$133 CA$186

-37.20%

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

$23.19 MX$435

$44.63 CA$62.6

-48.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.61 MX$519

$61.4 CA$86.1

-55.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,060

$35.70 CA$50.0

58.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.19 MX$529

$17.58 CA$24.64

60.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 MX$93.9

$11.29 CA$15.82

-55.71%

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

$207 MX$3,889

$665 CA$932

-68.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,231 MX$98.2K

$14.7K CA$20.5K

-64.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.45 MX$816

$59.1 CA$82.8

-26.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 MX$799

$39.51 CA$55.4

7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 MX$1,367

$84.3 CA$118

-13.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,660

$107 CA$150

-17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$18.7K

$1,081 CA$1,515

-7.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 MX$7,181

$852 CA$1,195

-55.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 MX$31.4K

$2,042 CA$2,862

-18.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 MX$20.3K

$1,786 CA$2,503

-39.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,909 MX$73.4K

$3,937 CA$5,518

-0.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,138 MX$115.3K

$3,214 CA$4,506

90.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$832 MX$15.6K

$3,158 CA$4,426

-73.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.68

144.66%

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 Prince Rupert, BC: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8%

Prince Rupert, BC

$852 42.9% 123% $470

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4%

Prince Rupert, BC

$355 17.9% 38.1% $98

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7%

Prince Rupert, BC

$271 13.6% 35.3% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2%

Prince Rupert, BC

$239 12% 78% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3%

Prince Rupert, BC

$131 6.6% 17.5% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5%

Prince Rupert, BC

$58 2.9% 12.3% $8.2

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Prince Rupert, BC

$82 4.1% 62.9% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,081 in Prince Rupert, BC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Prince Rupert, BC are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44 in Playa del Carmen versus $65 in Prince Rupert, BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $355 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇨🇦 Prince Rupert, BC

🕒 Local time

00:27 12:27 AM

22:27 10:27 PM

2 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

12,220

💱 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 Prince Rupert, BC 5,210 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Prince Rupert, BC

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 Prince Rupert, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Prince Rupert, BC is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,804 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,984 in Prince Rupert, BC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $995 in Playa del Carmen and $1,081 in Prince Rupert, BC. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen and $1,989 in Prince Rupert, BC. That makes Playa del Carmen about 40% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 56% 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 $1,202, than in Prince Rupert, BC at $1,989. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Prince Rupert, BC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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