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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Scarborough vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,481 per month in Scarborough vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,336 per month in Scarborough vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Scarborough costs about 108% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Scarborough sits 95% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 CA$25.08

$11.61 MX$201

57.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 CA$111

$42.75 MX$742

89.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.08

$10.60 MX$184

3.87%

Cappuccino

$4.08 CA$5.59

$3.59 MX$62.3

13.65%

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

$2.17 CA$2.97

$1.45 MX$25.21

49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$1.98

$0.90 MX$15.58

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 CA$8.21

$3.03 MX$52.6

97.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.77 CA$9.27

$4.56 MX$79.2

48.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.19

$1.45 MX$25.20

60.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.56 CA$3.51

$1.83 MX$31.72

39.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.79

$1.61 MX$27.92

71.43%

Eggs

$3.49 CA$4.78

$2.54 MX$44.05

37.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.13

$8.54 MX$148

54.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 CA$15.46

$8.47 MX$147

33.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 CA$19.76

$10.86 MX$189

32.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.85

$2.73 MX$47.37

29.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CA$1.60

$1.49 MX$25.91

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.93

$1.94 MX$33.73

47.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$2.16 MX$37.57

55.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CA$2.20

$1.85 MX$32.05

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$2.19 MX$38.00

15.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 CA$3.04

$1.07 MX$18.62

107.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.15

$1.08 MX$18.81

45.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.21 CA$18.09

$4.06 MX$70.5

225.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.28 CA$18.20

$10.46 MX$182

26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.38

$1.65 MX$28.71

49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.53

$2.55 MX$44.23

0.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.39

$0.56 MX$9.65

341.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$142

$26.20 MX$455

295.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.36

$3.14 MX$54.5

1.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 CA$1.62

$2.37 MX$41.17

-50.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.61 CA$30.97

$3.24 MX$56.2

597.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.51

$1.31 MX$22.81

-16.03%

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

$25.4K CA$34.8K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-16.91%

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

$20.8K CA$28.5K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-12.66%

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

$178 CA$244

$83.1 MX$1,443

114.51%

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

$42.30 CA$58.0

$22.15 MX$385

90.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 CA$75.5

$29.37 MX$510

87.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 CA$49.63

$51.2 MX$889

-29.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$14.25 CA$19.53

$4.89 MX$84.9

191.41%

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

$839 CA$1,150

$199 MX$3,449

322.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K CA$14.9K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

108.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$78.8

$35.93 MX$624

60.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.86 CA$58.7

$39.39 MX$684

8.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 CA$120

$80.3 MX$1,394

8.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$143

$87.6 MX$1,520

19.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CA$2,390

$963 MX$16.7K

81.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 CA$1,912

$482 MX$8,370

189.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 CA$3,049

$1,645 MX$28.6K

35.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 CA$2,257

$1,192 MX$20.7K

38.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,846 CA$10.7K

$3,957 MX$68.7K

98.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,164 CA$8,445

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-5.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,074 CA$4,211

$726 MX$12.6K

323.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

11.42

-46.76%

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

Last update for Scarborough: April 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,745 in Scarborough versus $963 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 323% higher in Scarborough, 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 $81 in Scarborough versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $348 vs $253 – 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

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

Yes – Scarborough is pricier by about 108%, 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 $3,939 per month in Scarborough and $1,894 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 $2,626 in Scarborough and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 296% 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 $1,262, than in Scarborough at $2,626. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Scarborough 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, Scarborough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.