Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St. Albert, AB Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and St. Albert, AB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,457 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,167 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,878 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 48% cheaper than St. Albert, AB, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while St. Albert, AB is 83% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$18.29 CA$25.54

-35.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$65.1 CA$90.9

-34.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$11.07 CA$15.46

-3.79%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.75 CA$5.24

-8.00%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.15 CA$3.01

-30.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.83 CA$2.56

-48.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.10 CA$7.12

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.96 CA$8.32

-22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.08 CA$2.90

-33.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.75 CA$3.85

-32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.17 CA$4.43

-49.21%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.35 CA$4.68

-22.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.77 CA$19.23

-40.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$12.96 CA$18.10

-35.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$16.07 CA$22.45

-33.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$4.41 CA$6.16

-40.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.32 CA$1.84

12.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.88 CA$5.42

-50.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.09 CA$5.72

-48.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.60 CA$3.63

-28.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.72 CA$3.80

-16.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.67 CA$3.73

-60.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.92 CA$2.68

-43.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$14.65 CA$20.46

-71.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.42 CA$17.34

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.89 CA$4.03

-40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.16 CA$4.42

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$2.16 CA$3.02

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$64.4 CA$89.9

-58.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.48 CA$4.86

-10.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.34 CA$1.87

87.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$23.46 CA$32.76

-86.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.10 CA$1.53

15.45%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$24.7K CA$34.5K

22.96%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.9K CA$30.6K

7.68%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$198 CA$276

-58.00%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$40.79 CA$57.0

-44.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$58.5 CA$81.7

-49.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$40.41 CA$56.4

26.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$12.68 CA$17.70

-61.12%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$683 CA$953

-71.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$12.0K CA$16.7K

-55.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$57.6 CA$80.5

-35.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$42.17 CA$58.9

-5.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$81.3 CA$114

-1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$107 CA$150

-16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,297 CA$1,811

-26.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,186 CA$1,656

-59.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,363 CA$1,903

20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,173 CA$1,639

4.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,542 CA$3,551

54.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,607 CA$3,640

147.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,131 CA$4,372

-78.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.08

87.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for St. Albert, AB: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,297 in St. Albert, AB. 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 369% higher in St. Albert, AB, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $65.0 in St. Albert, AB. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $387 – 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 St. Albert, AB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Albert, AB is pricier by about 93%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,685 in St. Albert, AB. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $2,457 in St. Albert, AB. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 139% 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 $1,271, than in St. Albert, AB at $2,457. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Albert, AB 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, St. Albert, AB makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.