Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,080 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,071 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,062 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 60% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint John, New Brunswick sits 55% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.24 CA$30.93

$11.73 MX$203

89.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 CA$85.3

$41.62 MX$719

47.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 CA$14.31

$10.64 MX$184

-3.29%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CA$4.35

$3.52 MX$60.8

-11.08%

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

$1.67 CA$2.32

$1.51 MX$26.09

10.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$0.97 MX$16.82

20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.39 CA$6.11

$2.95 MX$51.0

48.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 CA$7.10

$4.45 MX$77.0

14.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.78

$1.38 MX$23.90

44.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.02

$1.89 MX$32.69

52.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$1.64 MX$28.29

10.37%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.97

$2.51 MX$43.30

42.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 CA$16.30

$8.34 MX$144

40.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 CA$12.63

$8.34 MX$144

8.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 CA$22.56

$10.73 MX$185

51.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.65

$2.60 MX$45.00

56.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.46 MX$25.18

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 CA$4.98

$1.90 MX$32.84

88.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.15

$2.08 MX$35.88

112.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 CA$2.88

$1.78 MX$30.68

16.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.92

$2.19 MX$37.76

-4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 CA$3.68

$1.04 MX$17.97

154.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.08 MX$18.60

34.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 CA$26.03

$4.08 MX$70.5

358.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 CA$13.91

$10.32 MX$178

-3.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$1.71 MX$29.59

95.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CA$4.63

$2.58 MX$44.50

29.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 CA$3.00

$0.51 MX$8.81

321.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 CA$82.0

$26.46 MX$457

122.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 CA$5.24

$3.26 MX$56.4

15.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 CA$1.63

$2.49 MX$43.05

-53.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.32 CA$40.77

$3.25 MX$56.1

802.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.70

$1.31 MX$22.59

-6.87%

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

$25.2K CA$35.0K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-16.85%

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

$20.1K CA$27.9K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-14.31%

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

$127 CA$177

$82.9 MX$1,432

53.83%

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

$37.17 CA$51.7

$22.22 MX$384

67.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 CA$87.6

$29.34 MX$507

114.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.12 CA$58.6

$51.6 MX$892

-18.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.97 CA$51.4

$18.32 MX$317

101.80%

Cinema Ticket

$10.97 CA$15.25

$5.07 MX$87.5

116.37%

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

$164 CA$228

$201 MX$3,470

-18.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

125.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.72 CA$58.0

$36.92 MX$638

13.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 CA$58.4

$39.79 MX$688

5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 CA$122

$78.5 MX$1,356

11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$169

$87.1 MX$1,505

39.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 CA$1,464

$973 MX$16.8K

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 CA$1,313

$468 MX$8,082

101.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,241

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,400 CA$1,948

$1,221 MX$21.1K

14.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,090 CA$2,907

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-47.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,159 CA$3,002

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-66.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,682 CA$3,729

$664 MX$11.5K

303.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

11.42

-45.88%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,053 in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 304% higher in Saint John, New Brunswick, 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 $61.0 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 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

Saint John, New Brunswick vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint John, New Brunswick is pricier by about 60%, 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 $3,120 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 $2,080 in Saint John, New Brunswick 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 123% 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 Saint John, New Brunswick at $2,080. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint John, New Brunswick 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, Saint John, New Brunswick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.