Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince Albert and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince Albert and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,703 per month in Prince Albert vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,539 per month in Prince Albert vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,375 per month in Prince Albert vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince Albert costs about 31% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Prince Albert sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.25 CA$30.94

$11.73 MX$203

89.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.8 CA$125

$41.62 MX$719

115.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 CA$14.54

$10.64 MX$184

-1.69%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.14

$3.52 MX$60.8

5.11%

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

$2.44 CA$3.40

$1.51 MX$26.09

61.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CA$2.80

$0.97 MX$16.82

107.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 CA$8.43

$2.95 MX$51.0

105.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CA$10.13

$4.45 MX$77.0

63.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.79

$1.38 MX$23.90

-7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.89 MX$32.69

-21.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$1.64 MX$28.29

58.54%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$4.98

$2.51 MX$43.30

42.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 CA$10.47

$8.34 MX$144

-9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 CA$12.13

$8.34 MX$144

4.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 CA$6.07

$10.73 MX$185

-59.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.16

$2.60 MX$45.00

70.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.36

$1.46 MX$25.18

15.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 CA$6.85

$1.90 MX$32.84

158.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.55

$2.08 MX$35.88

57.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 CA$3.14

$1.78 MX$30.68

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$2.19 MX$37.76

2.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 CA$3.82

$1.04 MX$17.97

163.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.08 MX$18.60

17.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.21 CA$15.60

$4.08 MX$70.5

174.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 CA$19.47

$10.32 MX$178

35.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.59

$1.71 MX$29.59

92.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CA$4.62

$2.58 MX$44.50

28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$0.51 MX$8.81

256.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.82 CA$55.4

$26.46 MX$457

50.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 CA$3.65

$3.26 MX$56.4

-19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.70

$2.49 MX$43.05

-51.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.82 CA$20.61

$3.25 MX$56.1

356.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.31 MX$22.59

-16.03%

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

$17.2K CA$23.9K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-43.26%

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

$20.5K CA$28.5K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-12.56%

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

$54.3 CA$75.5

$82.9 MX$1,432

-34.51%

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

$51.6 CA$71.8

$22.22 MX$384

132.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 CA$99.0

$29.34 MX$507

142.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.30 CA$57.4

$51.6 MX$892

-20.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 CA$25.41

$18.32 MX$317

-0.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 CA$13.08

$5.07 MX$87.5

85.60%

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

$516 CA$718

$201 MX$3,470

156.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CA$20.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

186.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 CA$72.2

$36.92 MX$638

40.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 CA$50.7

$39.79 MX$688

-8.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 CA$129

$78.5 MX$1,356

18.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$160

$87.1 MX$1,505

32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$945 CA$1,315

$973 MX$16.8K

-2.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 CA$967

$468 MX$8,082

48.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 CA$2,019

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-11.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 CA$1,121

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-33.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,982 CA$5,538

$3,946 MX$68.2K

0.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,815 CA$5,305

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-41.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,764 CA$3,845

$664 MX$11.5K

316.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

11.42

-41.77%

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

Last update for Prince Albert: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $945 in Prince Albert versus $973 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 316% higher in Prince Albert, 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 $90.0 in Prince Albert versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 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

Prince Albert vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Prince Albert is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,554 per month in Prince Albert and $1,945 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 $1,703 in Prince Albert and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% 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 $1,297, than in Prince Albert at $1,703. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Prince Albert 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, Prince Albert makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.