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 $1,970 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,928 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,887 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 52% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saint John, New Brunswick sits 43% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.25 CA$26.64

$11.71 MX$198

64.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 CA$83.8

$46.59 MX$787

29.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.12

$11.65 MX$197

-6.27%

Cappuccino

$3.16 CA$4.37

$4.09 MX$69.2

-22.74%

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

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.37 MX$23.23

32.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$0.83 MX$14.09

32.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.59 CA$6.35

$3.35 MX$56.7

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 CA$7.11

$6.91 MX$117

-25.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$1.73 MX$29.19

26.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.26 MX$38.20

19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 CA$4.45

$1.77 MX$29.90

81.92%

Eggs

$3.69 CA$5.11

$2.73 MX$46.18

35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 CA$19.17

$9.18 MX$155

50.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.96

$8.92 MX$151

21.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.18

$12.60 MX$213

4.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 CA$7.13

$3.02 MX$51.1

70.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.12

$1.57 MX$26.54

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$2.13 MX$35.92

102.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.62

$2.26 MX$38.27

79.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$2.00 MX$33.87

6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$2.06 MX$34.89

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$1.18 MX$19.94

125.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.20 MX$20.35

22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 CA$20.29

$4.63 MX$78.3

216.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 CA$13.81

$10.69 MX$181

-6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.56

$1.62 MX$27.37

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 CA$2.94

$2.88 MX$48.69

-26.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$0.57 MX$9.69

284.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 CA$80.0

$29.83 MX$504

93.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$5.45 MX$92.1

-45.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$3.70 MX$62.6

-67.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.97 CA$30.41

$5.98 MX$101

267.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.55 MX$26.25

-21.94%

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

$25.4K CA$35.2K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

13.88%

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

$19.4K CA$26.9K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

-25.14%

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

$124 CA$172

$89.1 MX$1,506

39.44%

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

$41.81 CA$57.9

$25.04 MX$423

66.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 CA$90.5

$31.50 MX$532

107.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 CA$75.5

$67.8 MX$1,145

-19.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.76 CA$49.49

$28.92 MX$489

23.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.76 CA$17.65

$5.05 MX$85.3

152.67%

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

$384 CA$531

$225 MX$3,802

70.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K CA$15.9K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

172.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 CA$71.2

$47.44 MX$802

8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.92 CA$49.70

$44.98 MX$760

-20.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 CA$147

$82.0 MX$1,386

29.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$153

$92.1 MX$1,556

19.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 CA$1,399

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 CA$1,163

$405 MX$6,850

107.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 CA$2,265

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 CA$1,847

$1,301 MX$22.0K

2.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,072 CA$2,867

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-48.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 CA$3,033

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-66.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,491 CA$3,447

$749 MX$12.7K

232.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

11.45

-59.04%

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

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,011 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $1,069 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 233% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $277 – 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 52%, 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 $2,955 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick and $1,940 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 $1,970 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 94% 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 $1,293, than in Saint John, New Brunswick at $1,970. 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.