Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,895 per month in Port Alberni vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,958 per month in Port Alberni vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,022 per month in Port Alberni vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Port Alberni costs about 51% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Port Alberni sits 42% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 CA$24.13

$11.99 MX$209

43.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 CA$78.0

$41.78 MX$728

32.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 CA$15.82

$10.75 MX$187

4.56%

Cappuccino

$4.27 CA$6.01

$3.50 MX$60.9

22.00%

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

$2.07 CA$2.91

$1.45 MX$25.22

42.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 CA$1.59

$0.88 MX$15.41

28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 CA$5.03

$2.95 MX$51.3

21.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 CA$7.86

$4.51 MX$78.6

23.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 CA$3.58

$1.43 MX$24.94

78.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.84 MX$31.99

1.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.12

$1.57 MX$27.31

86.62%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$5.02

$2.51 MX$43.74

41.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.77 CA$8.12

$8.28 MX$144

-30.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.24

$8.43 MX$147

-47.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.46 CA$34.42

$10.68 MX$186

129.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.17

$2.61 MX$45.43

13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 CA$1.51

$1.44 MX$25.04

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 CA$4.42

$1.96 MX$34.16

60.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.71

$2.09 MX$36.47

60.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 CA$3.02

$1.85 MX$32.24

16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$2.17 MX$37.74

-12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.19

$1.03 MX$17.96

120.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 CA$1.07

$1.07 MX$18.70

-28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 CA$15.30

$4.10 MX$71.4

165.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 CA$14.84

$10.17 MX$177

3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.94 CA$5.54

$1.68 MX$29.17

134.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 CA$5.65

$2.53 MX$43.98

58.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$0.51 MX$8.87

192.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.59 CA$50.1

$26.04 MX$453

36.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 CA$3.84

$3.23 MX$56.3

-15.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$2.41 MX$41.88

-38.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.16 CA$41.03

$3.23 MX$56.2

802.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.32 MX$23.00

-0.76%

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

$24.7K CA$34.8K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-16.73%

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

$21.0K CA$29.6K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-11.11%

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

$190 CA$267

$82.0 MX$1,428

131.11%

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

$38.11 CA$53.6

$22.95 MX$400

66.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 CA$93.4

$30.11 MX$524

120.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.51 CA$59.8

$52.0 MX$905

-18.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 CA$17.74

$4.98 MX$86.6

153.21%

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

$887 CA$1,247

$197 MX$3,438

349.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K CA$17.9K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

138.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CA$77.6

$35.60 MX$620

54.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 CA$74.9

$40.33 MX$702

32.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$144

$78.8 MX$1,371

29.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 CA$133

$88.9 MX$1,549

6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 CA$1,023

$947 MX$16.5K

-23.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 CA$1,022

$474 MX$8,254

53.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,684 CA$2,370

$1,644 MX$28.6K

2.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 CA$2,287

$1,211 MX$21.1K

34.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,115 CA$4,384

$654 MX$11.4K

376.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Port Alberni versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 376% higher in Port Alberni, 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 $55.0 in Port Alberni versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $311 vs $249 – 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

Port Alberni vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Port Alberni is pricier by about 51%, 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 $2,842 per month in Port Alberni and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,895 in Port Alberni and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $1,256, than in Port Alberni at $1,895. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Alberni 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, Port Alberni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.