Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Prince Rupert, BC and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,989 in Prince Rupert, BC, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Prince Rupert, BC
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Prince Rupert, BC Living Index
57

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

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Prince Rupert, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,989

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Prince Rupert, BC 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 Rupert, BC and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,989 per month in Prince Rupert, BC vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince Rupert, BC $1,989
Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $3,170 per month in Prince Rupert, BC vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince Rupert, BC $3,170
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,350 per month in Prince Rupert, BC vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Prince Rupert, BC $4,350
Playa del Carmen $2,962

Prince Rupert, BC costs about 65% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Prince Rupert, BC sits 47% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 CA$24.82

$10.67 MX$200

65.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$91.7

$43.80 MX$823

49.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 CA$14.84

$11.79 MX$221

-10.18%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.33

$3.79 MX$71.1

0.53%

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

$1.98 CA$2.78

$1.30 MX$24.36

52.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$0.83 MX$15.65

104.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.20 CA$7.29

$3.15 MX$59.1

65.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 CA$7.89

$4.93 MX$92.7

14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.82

$1.41 MX$26.46

42.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 CA$3.67

$2.20 MX$41.23

19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$1.47 MX$27.66

127.21%

Eggs

$5.07 CA$7.10

$2.50 MX$46.89

102.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.70 CA$15.01

$7.29 MX$137

46.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 CA$18.36

$7.95 MX$149

64.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 CA$18.85

$12.86 MX$242

4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$2.90 MX$54.4

-40.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 CA$1.47

$1.38 MX$25.98

-23.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.56

$2.49 MX$46.78

59.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.46

$2.03 MX$38.12

92.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.41

$2.02 MX$38.03

20.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CA$2.97

$1.90 MX$35.74

11.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 CA$3.48

$1.14 MX$21.49

117.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.35

$1.24 MX$23.27

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.12 CA$19.79

$4.27 MX$80.2

230.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 CA$18.27

$9.81 MX$184

32.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$1.59 MX$29.78

69.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CA$4.26

$2.75 MX$51.6

10.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.30

$0.51 MX$9.67

360.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.3 CA$87.3

$27.39 MX$514

127.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 CA$4.19

$4.76 MX$89.4

-37.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$3.25 MX$61.0

-53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.18 CA$31.10

$5.39 MX$101

311.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.53 MX$28.70

-13.07%

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

$30.9K CA$43.3K

$21.2K MX$398.4K

45.60%

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

$21.2K CA$29.7K

$23.3K MX$436.9K

-8.86%

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

$133 CA$186

$83.5 MX$1,568

59.23%

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

$44.63 CA$62.6

$23.19 MX$435

92.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$86.1

$27.61 MX$519

122.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.70 CA$50.0

$56.4 MX$1,060

-36.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.58 CA$24.64

$28.19 MX$529

-37.64%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 CA$15.82

$5.00 MX$93.9

125.80%

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

$665 CA$932

$207 MX$3,889

221.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K CA$20.5K

$5,231 MX$98.2K

180.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 CA$82.8

$43.45 MX$816

35.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.51 CA$55.4

$42.54 MX$799

-7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 CA$118

$72.8 MX$1,367

15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$88.4 MX$1,660

21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 CA$1,515

$995 MX$18.7K

8.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 CA$1,195

$382 MX$7,181

122.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 CA$2,862

$1,674 MX$31.4K

21.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 CA$2,503

$1,081 MX$20.3K

65.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,937 CA$5,518

$3,909 MX$73.4K

0.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,214 CA$4,506

$6,138 MX$115.3K

-47.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,158 CA$4,426

$832 MX$15.6K

279.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

11.45

-59.13%

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

Last update for Prince Rupert, BC: November 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Prince Rupert, BC

$852 42.9%

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8% 55.1% $470

Groceries & Markets

Prince Rupert, BC

$355 17.9%

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4% 27.6% $98

Eating Out

Prince Rupert, BC

$271 13.6%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7% 26.1% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Prince Rupert, BC

$239 12%

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2% 43.8% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Prince Rupert, BC

$131 6.6%

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3% 14.9% $19

Getting Around

Prince Rupert, BC

$82 4.1%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 38.6% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Prince Rupert, BC

$58 2.9%

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5% 14% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,081 in Prince Rupert, BC versus $995 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 Rupert, BC are about 3.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Prince Rupert, BC versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $355 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Prince Rupert, BC

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

22:26 10:26 PM

00:26 12:26 AM

2 h ahead of Prince Rupert, BC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,220

149,923

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.74 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 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 18.78 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 21.08 MXN (100 MXN = 4.74 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Prince Rupert, BC Playa del Carmen 5,210 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Prince Rupert, BC
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 Rupert, BC vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Prince Rupert, BC is pricier by about 65%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,984 per month in Prince Rupert, BC and $1,804 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 $1,081 in Prince Rupert, BC and $995 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 $1,989 in Prince Rupert, BC and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 40% 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 $1,202, than in Prince Rupert, BC at $1,989. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Prince Rupert, BC 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, Prince Rupert, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.