Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Richmond Hill Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Richmond Hill

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,028 in Richmond Hill, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,193 in Richmond Hill, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,358 in Richmond Hill, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 58% cheaper than Richmond Hill, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Richmond Hill is 125% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$201

$18.33 CA$25.11

-36.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$742

$82.5 CA$113

-48.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.60 MX$184

$8.94 CA$12.25

18.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.25 CA$4.45

10.46%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$2.08 CA$2.85

-30.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$1.47 CA$2.02

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$5.75 CA$7.87

-47.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 MX$79.2

$7.34 CA$10.05

-37.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.20

$2.31 CA$3.16

-37.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.72

$2.58 CA$3.53

-29.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.92

$2.19 CA$2.99

-26.48%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.05

$3.79 CA$5.19

-32.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 MX$148

$13.77 CA$18.86

-37.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 MX$147

$11.31 CA$15.49

-25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$14.75 CA$20.20

-26.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.37

$4.56 CA$6.25

-40.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.91

$1.27 CA$1.75

17.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.73

$2.97 CA$4.07

-34.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.57

$3.56 CA$4.88

-39.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.05

$2.49 CA$3.41

-25.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.00

$2.16 CA$2.96

1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.62

$1.89 CA$2.59

-43.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.81

$0.88 CA$1.20

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.5

$11.98 CA$16.41

-66.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 MX$182

$13.12 CA$17.97

-20.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 MX$28.71

$1.99 CA$2.72

-17.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 MX$44.23

$2.39 CA$3.27

6.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.65

$2.75 CA$3.76

-79.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.20 MX$455

$114 CA$156

-77.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$3.21 CA$4.39

-2.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 MX$41.17

$1.11 CA$1.52

113.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.2

$21.79 CA$29.85

-85.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$1.15 CA$1.58

13.91%

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

$30.5K MX$530.2K

$24.6K CA$33.7K

24.29%

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

$23.8K MX$413.6K

$20.1K CA$27.5K

18.52%

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

$83.1 MX$1,443

$179 CA$245

-53.51%

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

$22.15 MX$385

$42.14 CA$57.7

-47.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MX$510

$58.4 CA$79.9

-49.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.2 MX$889

$43.99 CA$60.3

16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MX$84.9

$12.68 CA$17.37

-61.44%

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

$199 MX$3,449

$422 CA$577

-52.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,207 MX$90.4K

$15.4K CA$21.1K

-66.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$624

$46.67 CA$63.9

-23.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MX$684

$42.89 CA$58.8

-8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 MX$1,394

$61.7 CA$84.6

30.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 MX$1,520

$89.5 CA$123

-2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.7K

$1,786 CA$2,447

-46.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 MX$8,370

$1,826 CA$2,501

-73.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 MX$28.6K

$3,072 CA$4,208

-46.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 MX$20.7K

$2,553 CA$3,498

-53.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,957 MX$68.7K

$6,681 CA$9,153

-40.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,513 MX$113.1K

$5,493 CA$7,525

18.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

$3,052 CA$4,181

-76.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.59

73.29%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Richmond Hill: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,786 in Richmond Hill. 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 320% higher in Richmond Hill, 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $82 in Richmond Hill. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $346 – 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 Richmond Hill: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Richmond Hill is pricier by about 140%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,543 in Richmond Hill. 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 $1,262 in Playa del Carmen and $3,028 in Richmond Hill. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 336% 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 $1,262, than in Richmond Hill at $3,028. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Richmond Hill 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Richmond Hill makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.