Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Quebec City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,960 per month in Quebec City vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,898 per month in Quebec City vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,837 per month in Quebec City vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Quebec City sits 46% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.70 CA$23.12

$11.73 MX$203

42.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 CA$90.5

$41.62 MX$720

57.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.44

$10.64 MX$184

4.79%

Cappuccino

$3.79 CA$5.25

$3.52 MX$60.9

7.67%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$1.51 MX$26.12

35.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$0.97 MX$16.84

50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.22

$2.95 MX$51.0

101.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 CA$8.70

$4.45 MX$77.0

41.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$1.38 MX$23.93

52.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 CA$4.58

$1.89 MX$32.72

75.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 CA$5.91

$1.64 MX$28.32

160.37%

Eggs

$3.11 CA$4.30

$2.51 MX$43.34

23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.79 CA$17.71

$8.34 MX$144

53.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 CA$14.96

$8.34 MX$144

29.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.15 CA$19.59

$10.73 MX$186

31.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.51

$2.60 MX$45.04

53.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CA$2.32

$1.46 MX$25.20

15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.84

$1.90 MX$32.87

122.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$2.08 MX$35.91

97.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 CA$2.61

$1.78 MX$30.71

6.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.48

$2.19 MX$37.80

14.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$1.04 MX$17.99

153.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 CA$2.19

$1.08 MX$18.62

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.86 CA$17.81

$4.08 MX$70.6

215.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.59 CA$16.05

$10.32 MX$178

12.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 CA$4.34

$1.71 MX$29.61

83.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 CA$5.42

$2.58 MX$44.54

51.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$0.51 MX$8.81

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 CA$95.5

$26.46 MX$458

160.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 CA$5.24

$3.26 MX$56.4

15.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 CA$3.13

$2.49 MX$43.09

-9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.35 CA$43.41

$3.25 MX$56.2

864.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.31 MX$22.61

-5.34%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-17.76%

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

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-15.86%

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

$86.9 CA$120

$82.9 MX$1,433

4.81%

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

$38.53 CA$53.4

$22.22 MX$384

73.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.57 CA$61.7

$29.34 MX$507

51.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 CA$58.2

$51.6 MX$893

-18.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 CA$20.26

$18.32 MX$317

-20.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 CA$15.07

$5.07 MX$87.6

114.60%

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

$845 CA$1,170

$201 MX$3,473

320.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,217 CA$8,609

$5,212 MX$90.1K

19.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 CA$85.0

$36.92 MX$639

66.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 CA$74.2

$39.79 MX$688

34.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 CA$156

$78.5 MX$1,357

43.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 CA$178

$87.1 MX$1,506

47.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 CA$1,253

$973 MX$16.8K

-6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$829 CA$1,148

$468 MX$8,090

77.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 CA$2,083

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-8.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 CA$1,602

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-5.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,881 CA$8,142

$3,946 MX$68.3K

49.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,842 CA$3,934

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-56.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,832 CA$3,921

$664 MX$11.5K

326.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

11.42

-39.84%

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

Last update for Quebec City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $905 in Quebec City 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 327% higher in Quebec City, 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 $65.0 in Quebec City versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $373 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

Quebec City vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quebec City 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 $2,940 per month in Quebec City 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 $1,960 in Quebec City 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 161% 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 Quebec City at $1,960. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quebec City 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, Quebec City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.