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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,157 per month in Prince George vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,302 per month in Prince George vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,447 per month in Prince George vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince George costs about 70% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Prince George sits 58% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.08 CA$25.28

$11.60 MX$200

55.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 CA$99.8

$47.11 MX$811

51.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.71 CA$12.18

$11.88 MX$205

-26.68%

Cappuccino

$4.04 CA$5.65

$3.98 MX$68.5

1.51%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.43 MX$24.57

55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.36

$0.82 MX$14.20

192.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 CA$8.25

$3.19 MX$54.9

84.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.28 CA$10.18

$6.79 MX$117

7.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.68 MX$28.85

17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$2.20 MX$37.83

28.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 CA$6.50

$1.71 MX$29.41

171.93%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.04

$2.74 MX$47.20

57.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 CA$11.92

$9.58 MX$165

-11.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.54

$9.01 MX$155

55.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 CA$20.33

$12.81 MX$221

13.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.84

$2.89 MX$49.74

44.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.86

$1.50 MX$25.78

84.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.37 CA$7.51

$2.15 MX$36.98

149.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.20 CA$7.27

$2.26 MX$38.91

130.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.31

$1.98 MX$34.10

56.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.09

$1.99 MX$34.26

11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 CA$4.30

$1.23 MX$21.25

150.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.20 MX$20.60

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.91 CA$20.85

$4.55 MX$78.3

227.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 CA$14.82

$10.37 MX$179

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.41 CA$7.56

$1.62 MX$27.88

233.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$0.60 MX$10.34

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.05 CA$60.2

$28.80 MX$496

49.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 CA$4.20

$5.39 MX$92.8

-44.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.40

$3.73 MX$64.2

-53.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 CA$47.46

$5.77 MX$99.3

488.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.81

$1.54 MX$26.45

-16.23%

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

$28.1K CA$39.3K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

24.62%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-23.85%

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

$174 CA$243

$91.4 MX$1,573

90.24%

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

$41.54 CA$58.1

$25.20 MX$434

64.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.3 CA$84.3

$31.24 MX$538

93.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.82 CA$61.3

$67.2 MX$1,157

-34.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 CA$24.79

$29.11 MX$501

-39.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 CA$12.92

$4.86 MX$83.7

90.12%

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

$421 CA$589

$224 MX$3,851

88.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.2

$47.10 MX$811

33.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 CA$54.9

$44.29 MX$763

-11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 CA$133

$80.1 MX$1,379

18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 CA$207

$92.7 MX$1,596

59.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,414

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$873 CA$1,221

$390 MX$6,719

123.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 CA$2,546

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-15.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,464

$1,272 MX$21.9K

38.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,104 CA$4,340

$758 MX$13.1K

309.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.96

11.45

-56.68%

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

Last update for Prince George: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Prince George versus $1,063 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 309% higher in Prince George, 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 $71.0 in Prince George versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $276 – 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 George vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Prince George is pricier by about 70%, 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 $3,236 per month in Prince George and $1,899 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 $2,157 in Prince George and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% 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 $1,266, than in Prince George at $2,157. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Prince George 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 George makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.