Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Thetford Mines Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Thetford Mines

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,130 in Thetford Mines, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,665 in Thetford Mines, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,199 in Thetford Mines, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 40% cheaper than Thetford Mines, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Thetford Mines is 58% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$11.97 CA$16.71

-0.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$70.8 CA$98.9

-39.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.70 CA$12.15

22.41%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.69 CA$5.15

-6.50%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.19 CA$3.06

-31.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.89 CA$1.25

6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.38 CA$4.72

-10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.72 CA$6.59

-2.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.72 CA$2.41

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.59 CA$3.62

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.27 CA$3.17

-29.07%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.54 CA$3.54

1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.19 CA$14.23

-18.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.79 CA$9.48

23.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$14.69 CA$20.52

-27.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.19 CA$3.06

20.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.27 CA$3.16

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.18 CA$3.05

-11.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.18 CA$3.05

-4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.26 CA$3.16

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.63 CA$3.67

-14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.67 CA$0.94

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.20 CA$1.68

-9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$10.87 CA$15.18

-61.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.81 CA$15.10

-3.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.44 CA$2.01

19.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.51 CA$3.51

3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$2.35 CA$3.28

-77.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$64.1 CA$89.5

-57.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$6.19 CA$8.64

-49.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.74 CA$3.83

-8.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$25.75 CA$35.97

-87.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.11 CA$1.55

14.41%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$22.1K CA$30.9K

37.43%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.1K CA$28.1K

17.01%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$105 CA$146

-20.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$56.2 CA$78.5

-59.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$47.29 CA$66.1

-37.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$42.63 CA$59.5

19.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.03 CA$15.40

-55.30%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$700 CA$978

-71.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,369 CA$6,101

20.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$47.97 CA$67.0

-23.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$25.46 CA$35.56

56.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$63.3 CA$88.5

26.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$70.9 CA$99.0

26.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,328 CA$1,854

-27.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,186 CA$1,657

-59.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$892 CA$1,245

84.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$963 CA$1,344

27.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$4,509 CA$6,297

-13.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$3,856 CA$5,384

67.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,267 CA$1,770

-47.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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 Thetford Mines: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,328 in Thetford Mines. 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 90% higher in Thetford Mines, 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 $71.0 in Thetford Mines. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $278 – 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 Thetford Mines: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thetford Mines is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $3,195 in Thetford Mines. 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 $2,130 in Thetford Mines. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 138% 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 Thetford Mines at $2,130. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thetford Mines 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, Thetford Mines makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.