Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Spruce Grove

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,830 in Spruce Grove, rent and utilities included – about $19,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Spruce Grove, Canada
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Spruce Grove
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,830
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Spruce Grove

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 Spruce Grove actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,830 in Spruce Grove, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Spruce Grove $2,830

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,540 in Spruce Grove, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Spruce Grove $2,540

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,249 in Spruce Grove, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Spruce Grove $2,249

Playa del Carmen is about 57% cheaper than Spruce Grove, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Spruce Grove is 108% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$12.06 CA$16.86
-9.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$36.36 CA$50.8
19.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$8.81 CA$12.31
33.71%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$2.93 CA$4.09
30.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$1.93 CA$2.70
-33.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$1.95 CA$2.73
-60.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$4.95 CA$6.92
-35.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$5.67 CA$7.92
-13.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$2.11 CA$2.95
-33.18%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$2.72 CA$3.80
-18.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$3.50 CA$4.89
-59.43%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$3.28 CA$4.58
-23.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$8.40 CA$11.73
-13.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$10.75 CA$15.02
-28.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$12.64 CA$17.66
0.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$3.47 CA$4.85
-19.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$0.85 CA$1.18
61.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$3.22 CA$4.50
-20.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$2.87 CA$4.01
-26.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$1.76 CA$2.47
10.23%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$2.04 CA$2.85
-7.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$2.01 CA$2.81
-42.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$1.54 CA$2.15
-23.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$12.38 CA$17.29
-65.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$8.98 CA$12.54
10.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$2.12 CA$2.96
-25.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$3.09 CA$4.31
-13.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$2.12 CA$2.97
-74.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$45.85 CA$64.1
-41.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$2.18 CA$3.04
127.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$1.21 CA$1.70
175.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$21.24 CA$29.67
-74.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$1.08 CA$1.51
33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$28.4K CA$39.7K
-27.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$21.0K CA$29.3K
11.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$166 CA$232
-49.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$38.07 CA$53.2
-38.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$52.3 CA$73.0
-45.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$66.7 CA$93.3
-14.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$21.72 CA$30.35
33.10%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$14.33 CA$20.02
-64.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$525 CA$733
-60.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$15.7K CA$21.9K
-74.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$57.5 CA$80.4
-24.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$40.14 CA$56.1
3.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$86.6 CA$121
-14.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$113 CA$157
-20.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$869 CA$1,214
12.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$1,759 CA$2,458
-78.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,431 CA$1,999
19.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Spruce Grove
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
$2,888 CA$4,036
-74.57%
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Spruce Grove: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Spruce Grove
$1.8K 362% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Spruce Grove
$313 22.7% $58
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Spruce Grove
$210 3.6% $7.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Spruce Grove
$257 87.5% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Spruce Grove
$134 19.5% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Spruce Grove
$95 41.7% $28
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Spruce Grove
$63 24.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $869 in Spruce Grove. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Spruce Grove are about 3.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $36 in Spruce Grove. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Playa del Carmen vs $313 in Spruce Grove – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇨🇦 Spruce Grove
🕒 Local time
06:36 6:36 AM
05:36 5:36 AM
1 h behind Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
37,645
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Spruce Grove 4,310 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Spruce Grove

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 Spruce Grove: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Spruce Grove?
Yes – Spruce Grove is pricier by about 135%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,245 in Spruce Grove. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Spruce Grove, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $869 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Spruce Grove?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,830 in Spruce Grove. That makes Playa del Carmen about 57% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 42% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Spruce Grove?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Spruce Grove at $2,830. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Spruce Grove it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Spruce Grove?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $2,830 in Spruce Grove. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Spruce Grove makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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