Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Quesnel and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,481 per month in Quesnel vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,496 per month in Quesnel vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,512 per month in Quesnel vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Quesnel costs about 98% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Quesnel sits 86% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.27 CA$25.61

$11.99 MX$210

52.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.12 CA$66.1

$41.78 MX$733

12.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.77

$10.75 MX$189

4.65%

Cappuccino

$4.21 CA$5.90

$3.50 MX$61.3

20.29%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$1.45 MX$25.41

46.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$0.88 MX$15.52

85.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.53 CA$6.35

$2.95 MX$51.7

53.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.30

$4.51 MX$79.1

31.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 CA$4.18

$1.43 MX$25.12

108.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$1.84 MX$32.23

48.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.05 CA$7.08

$1.57 MX$27.51

221.66%

Eggs

$4.03 CA$5.65

$2.51 MX$44.06

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 CA$9.65

$8.28 MX$145

-16.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.09 CA$12.74

$8.43 MX$148

7.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 CA$15.70

$10.68 MX$187

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 CA$6.63

$2.61 MX$45.76

81.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$1.44 MX$25.22

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 CA$6.49

$1.96 MX$34.41

136.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.59

$2.09 MX$36.74

90.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.16

$1.85 MX$32.47

137.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$2.17 MX$38.02

56.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.32 CA$4.66

$1.03 MX$18.09

222.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.35

$1.07 MX$18.84

57.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.38 CA$17.36

$4.10 MX$72.0

201.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 CA$14.59

$10.17 MX$178

2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.91

$1.68 MX$29.38

66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.59

$2.53 MX$44.31

85.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.52

$0.51 MX$8.93

252.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.4 CA$88.9

$26.04 MX$457

143.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 CA$3.77

$3.23 MX$56.7

-16.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$2.41 MX$42.19

-13.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.73 CA$61.3

$3.23 MX$56.6

1253.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.68

$1.32 MX$23.17

-9.09%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-14.42%

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

$18.2K CA$25.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-23.11%

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

$220 CA$308

$82.0 MX$1,439

168.03%

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

$44.12 CA$61.9

$22.95 MX$403

92.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 CA$94.8

$30.11 MX$528

124.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 CA$104

$52.0 MX$912

43.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 CA$13.71

$4.98 MX$87.3

96.39%

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

$558 CA$782

$197 MX$3,463

182.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

122.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.91 CA$53.2

$35.60 MX$624

6.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 CA$81.7

$40.33 MX$707

44.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 CA$113

$78.8 MX$1,381

2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$88.9 MX$1,560

23.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$953 CA$1,336

$947 MX$16.6K

0.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 CA$1,677

$474 MX$8,314

152.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,786

$1,644 MX$28.8K

20.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,798 CA$2,521

$1,211 MX$21.2K

48.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,466 CA$6,261

$4,056 MX$71.1K

10.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,200 CA$4,486

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-50.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,446 CA$3,429

$654 MX$11.5K

274.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Quesnel: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $953 in Quesnel versus $947 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 274% higher in Quesnel, 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 $47.00 in Quesnel versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 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

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

Yes – Quesnel is pricier by about 98%, 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 $3,722 per month in Quesnel and $1,884 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 $2,481 in Quesnel and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 144% 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 $1,256, than in Quesnel at $2,481. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quesnel 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, Quesnel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.