Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Williams Lake, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,038 in Williams Lake, BC, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
98

Cost of Living Index in Williams Lake, BC
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Williams Lake, BC Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Williams Lake, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,038

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Williams Lake, BC

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 Williams Lake, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,038 in Williams Lake, BC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Williams Lake, BC $2,038

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,920 in Williams Lake, BC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Williams Lake, BC $2,920

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,801 in Williams Lake, BC, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Williams Lake, BC $3,801

Playa del Carmen is about 41% cheaper than Williams Lake, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Williams Lake, BC is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$204

$17.74 CA$24.90

-38.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$808

$63.4 CA$89.0

-31.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$220

$10.62 CA$14.90

10.92%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.0

$3.61 CA$5.07

5.54%

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

$1.28 MX$23.90

$2.08 CA$2.92

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.59

$1.69 CA$2.37

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.0

$4.88 CA$6.84

-35.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.0

$5.36 CA$7.53

-8.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.22

$2.27 CA$3.19

-37.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.33

$2.57 CA$3.61

-13.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.42

$3.80 CA$5.33

-62.63%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.03

$3.38 CA$4.74

-25.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$135

$10.16 CA$14.26

-28.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$143

$11.80 CA$16.56

-34.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$237

$14.60 CA$20.49

-13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.9

$3.75 CA$5.26

-25.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.50

$1.33 CA$1.87

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.55

$3.57 CA$5.01

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.58

$3.86 CA$5.41

-45.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.13

$2.43 CA$3.41

-20.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.16

$2.26 CA$3.18

-16.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.37

$2.42 CA$3.40

-52.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$21.98

$1.45 CA$2.03

-18.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.1

$12.42 CA$17.43

-65.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$185

$14.53 CA$20.39

-31.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.52

$2.60 CA$3.65

-39.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.79

$2.70 CA$3.79

-1.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.31

$2.37 CA$3.32

-76.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$496

$60.6 CA$85.0

-56.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.6

$2.63 CA$3.69

88.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.1

$1.62 CA$2.27

105.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$99.8

$25.61 CA$35.94

-79.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.92

$1.20 CA$1.68

20.00%

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

$20.7K MX$385.2K

$28.3K CA$39.7K

-26.95%

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

$23.5K MX$437.4K

$22.1K CA$31.0K

6.30%

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

$84.8 MX$1,581

$138 CA$194

-38.58%

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

$23.41 MX$436

$32.57 CA$45.70

-28.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$534

$84.3 CA$118

-66.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,063

$37.04 CA$52.0

54.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$539

$17.65 CA$24.77

63.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$95.8

$10.59 CA$14.86

-51.46%

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

$207 MX$3,851

$683 CA$959

-69.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.2K

$14.7K CA$20.6K

-73.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$808

$56.2 CA$78.8

-22.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$772

$38.39 CA$53.9

7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,383

$97.1 CA$136

-23.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,664

$91.6 CA$128

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.3K

$936 CA$1,314

4.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,099

$892 CA$1,252

-57.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.8K

$1,339 CA$1,879

27.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.0K

$1,257 CA$1,764

-14.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.5K

$4,775 CA$6,701

-17.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$114.8K

$3,838 CA$5,387

60.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.7K

$3,168 CA$4,445

-76.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.68

144.66%

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 Williams Lake, BC: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Williams Lake, BC

$892 43.8% 134% $511

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Williams Lake, BC

$357 17.5% 40.2% $102

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Williams Lake, BC

$267 13.1% 32.1% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Williams Lake, BC

$255 12.5% 86.3% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Williams Lake, BC

$127 6.3% 14.1% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Williams Lake, BC

$58 2.9% 13.5% $9.1

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Williams Lake, BC

$81 4% 60.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $936 in Williams Lake, BC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Williams Lake, BC are about 4.3 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 $63 in Williams Lake, BC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $357 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇨🇦 Williams Lake, BC

🕒 Local time

18:07 6:07 PM

16:07 4:07 PM

2 h behind Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

10,753

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

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).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Williams Lake, BC 4,620 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Williams Lake, BC

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 Williams Lake, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Williams Lake, BC is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,057 in Williams Lake, BC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $936 in Williams Lake, BC. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $2,038 in Williams Lake, BC. That makes Playa del Carmen about 41% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 56% 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 $1,204, than in Williams Lake, BC at $2,038. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Williams Lake, BC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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 $2,038 in Williams Lake, BC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Williams Lake, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.