Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince Albert and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,710 in Prince Albert, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

82

Cost of Living Index in Prince Albert
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Prince Albert Living Index
58

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

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Prince Albert

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,710

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Prince Albert and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Prince Albert and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,710 per month in Prince Albert vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince Albert $1,710
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Prince Albert vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince Albert $2,442
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Prince Albert vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince Albert $3,174
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Prince Albert costs about 42% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Prince Albert sits 26% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.52 CA$24.49

$10.92 MX$205

60.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$99.5

$43.37 MX$813

64.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 CA$12.61

$11.78 MX$221

-23.43%

Cappuccino

$3.68 CA$5.14

$3.81 MX$71.4

-3.41%

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

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.28 MX$24.03

60.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.60

$0.78 MX$14.67

138.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 CA$6.06

$3.17 MX$59.3

36.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.24 CA$8.73

$4.93 MX$92.5

26.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.41 MX$26.35

-14.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 CA$2.02

$2.22 MX$41.54

-34.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.43

$1.42 MX$26.56

72.54%

Eggs

$3.61 CA$5.05

$2.52 MX$47.27

43.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 CA$9.70

$7.26 MX$136

-4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.46 CA$11.83

$7.70 MX$144

9.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.16 CA$5.81

$12.69 MX$238

-67.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.69

$2.78 MX$52.2

46.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.37 MX$25.64

8.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 CA$5.99

$2.55 MX$47.80

67.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 CA$4.45

$2.12 MX$39.78

50.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 CA$2.95

$1.94 MX$36.32

8.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.04

$1.89 MX$35.34

15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$1.15 MX$21.49

151.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.18 MX$22.09

27.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.62 CA$14.85

$4.30 MX$80.5

146.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 CA$19.48

$9.95 MX$186

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.99

$1.58 MX$29.67

80.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 CA$4.86

$2.67 MX$50.1

30.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 CA$2.18

$0.55 MX$10.37

183.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.11 CA$54.7

$26.62 MX$499

46.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 CA$4.19

$4.97 MX$93.1

-39.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 CA$1.17

$3.33 MX$62.4

-74.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.25 CA$19.91

$5.36 MX$100

165.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.51

$1.44 MX$27.06

-25.00%

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

$22.2K CA$31.0K

$20.7K MX$387.3K

7.47%

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

$22.0K CA$30.8K

$23.5K MX$439.7K

-6.05%

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

$53.2 CA$74.4

$84.8 MX$1,589

-37.21%

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

$47.67 CA$66.6

$23.41 MX$439

103.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CA$84.3

$28.66 MX$537

110.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 CA$165

$57.1 MX$1,069

107.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 CA$22.40

$28.91 MX$542

-44.55%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 CA$13.30

$5.14 MX$96.3

85.21%

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

$492 CA$688

$207 MX$3,871

138.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K CA$20.3K

$3,927 MX$73.6K

270.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.52 CA$69.2

$43.35 MX$812

14.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.48 CA$49.58

$41.44 MX$777

-14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$121

$74.2 MX$1,390

17.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$89.3 MX$1,672

19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$914 CA$1,277

$980 MX$18.4K

-6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 CA$970

$381 MX$7,136

82.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 CA$2,001

$1,708 MX$32.0K

-16.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 CA$1,090

$1,075 MX$20.1K

-27.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,334 CA$6,057

$3,943 MX$73.9K

9.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,716 CA$5,194

$6,158 MX$115.4K

-39.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,755 CA$3,851

$735 MX$13.8K

275.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.45

-58.08%

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

Last update for Prince Albert: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Prince Albert

$694 40.6%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 45.2% $314

Groceries & Markets

Prince Albert

$278 16.3%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 8.4% $23

Eating Out

Prince Albert

$261 15.3%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 22.5% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Prince Albert

$161 9.4%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 15.1% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Prince Albert

$137 8%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 51% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Prince Albert

$126 7.3%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 11% $14

Getting Around

Prince Albert

$53 3.1%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 4% $2.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $914 in Prince Albert versus $980 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 in Prince Albert are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Prince Albert versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Prince Albert

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

13:50 1:50 PM

14:50 2:50 PM

1 h ahead of Prince Albert

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

35,129

149,923

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.715 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

100 MXN = 5.34 USD

100 MXN = 4.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.715 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.74 MXN (100 MXN = 5.34 USD). 1 EUR = 21 MXN (100 MXN = 4.76 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Prince Albert Playa del Carmen 3,960 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Prince Albert
Playa del Carmen

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

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

Yes – Prince Albert is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,565 per month in Prince Albert and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $914 in Prince Albert and $980 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,710 in Prince Albert and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 30% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 32% 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 Prince Albert at $1,710. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Prince Albert 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 $1,710 in Prince Albert. 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, Prince Albert makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.