Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Summerside, PE

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,813 in Summerside, PE, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Summerside, PE, Canada
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Summerside, PE
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,813
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Summerside, PE

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 Summerside, PE actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,813 in Summerside, PE, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Summerside, PE $1,813

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,625 in Summerside, PE, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Summerside, PE $2,625

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,437 in Summerside, PE, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Summerside, PE $3,437

Playa del Carmen is about 34% cheaper than Summerside, PE, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Summerside, PE is 33% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
$21.51 CA$30.18
-49.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
$56.2 CA$78.8
-22.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
$10.27 CA$14.41
14.70%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$3.68 CA$5.17
3.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$1.69 CA$2.37
-24.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$2.17 CA$3.04
-64.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$5.07 CA$7.11
-37.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$4.78 CA$6.70
3.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.74 CA$2.44
-18.97%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$2.89 CA$4.06
-23.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$2.51 CA$3.52
-43.43%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$3.88 CA$5.45
-35.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$9.64 CA$13.52
-24.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
$8.81 CA$12.36
-12.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
$9.25 CA$12.98
37.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
$4.59 CA$6.45
-39.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$1.61 CA$2.25
-14.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
$3.39 CA$4.76
-24.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
$3.81 CA$5.35
-44.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
$2.50 CA$3.51
-22.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
$1.57 CA$2.21
20.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
$2.14 CA$3.00
-46.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
$1.64 CA$2.30
-28.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
$11.55 CA$16.21
-62.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
$12.20 CA$17.13
-18.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
$4.39 CA$6.17
-64.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
$3.71 CA$5.20
-28.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
$1.45 CA$2.03
-62.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
$46.17 CA$64.8
-42.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
$2.86 CA$4.02
73.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
$1.39 CA$1.95
139.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
$21.46 CA$30.11
-75.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
$1.23 CA$1.72
17.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
$26.1K CA$36.6K
-20.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
$20.6K CA$28.9K
13.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
$115 CA$162
-26.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$67.6 CA$94.8
-65.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
$70.9 CA$99.5
-59.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$30.94 CA$43.42
84.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$10.65 CA$14.95
171.46%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
$10.53 CA$14.77
-51.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
$580 CA$814
-64.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
$1,715 CA$2,407
129.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
$49.83 CA$69.9
-13.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$24.76 CA$34.75
67.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
$69.8 CA$98.0
6.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
$68.9 CA$96.7
29.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
$938 CA$1,316
4.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
$722 CA$1,013
-47.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
$1,677 CA$2,354
1.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
$1,030 CA$1,445
4.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
$1,172 CA$1,645
425.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Summerside, PE
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
$2,452 CA$3,441
-70.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.77
140.04%

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 Summerside, PE: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Summerside, PE
$722 89.5% $341
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Summerside, PE
$330 29.7% $76
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Summerside, PE
$297 47% $95
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Summerside, PE
$254 85.4% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Summerside, PE
$96 14.1% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Summerside, PE
$52 22.8% $15
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Summerside, PE
$62 22.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $938 in Summerside, PE. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Summerside, PE are about 3.3 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 $56 in Summerside, PE. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $330 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇨🇦 Summerside, PE
🕒 Local time
16:21 4:21 PM
18:21 6:21 PM
2 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
16,001
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Summerside, PE 3,560 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Summerside, PE

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 Summerside, PE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Summerside, PE?
Yes – Summerside, PE is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,720 in Summerside, PE. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Summerside, PE?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $938 in Summerside, PE. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Summerside, PE?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,813 in Summerside, PE. That makes Playa del Carmen about 34% 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 Summerside, PE?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Summerside, PE at $1,813. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Summerside, PE it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Summerside, PE?
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 $1,813 in Summerside, PE. 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, Summerside, PE makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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