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 $2,651 per month in Scarborough vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,499 per month in Scarborough vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,347 per month in Scarborough vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Scarborough costs about 111% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Scarborough sits 98% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 CA$25.68

$11.99 MX$209

52.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 CA$113

$41.78 MX$728

92.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.63

$10.75 MX$187

3.35%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.70

$3.50 MX$60.9

15.71%

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

$2.16 CA$3.03

$1.45 MX$25.22

48.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.88 MX$15.41

64.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.34

$2.95 MX$51.3

101.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$4.51 MX$78.6

49.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 CA$3.34

$1.43 MX$24.94

65.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.59

$1.84 MX$31.99

38.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.94

$1.57 MX$27.31

78.34%

Eggs

$3.53 CA$4.96

$2.51 MX$43.74

40.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.31

$8.28 MX$144

65.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.16

$8.43 MX$147

36.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 CA$20.40

$10.68 MX$186

35.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 CA$4.84

$2.61 MX$45.43

31.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.44 MX$25.04

-18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.17

$1.96 MX$34.16

51.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.09 MX$36.47

62.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$1.85 MX$32.24

-11.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.65

$2.17 MX$37.74

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 CA$3.05

$1.03 MX$17.96

110.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.23

$1.07 MX$18.70

48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 CA$18.87

$4.10 MX$71.4

227.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.88

$10.17 MX$177

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 CA$3.46

$1.68 MX$29.17

46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.60

$2.53 MX$43.98

1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$0.51 MX$8.87

386.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 CA$147

$26.04 MX$453

300.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 CA$4.47

$3.23 MX$56.3

-1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 CA$1.67

$2.41 MX$41.88

-50.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.73 CA$31.98

$3.23 MX$56.2

603.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.54

$1.32 MX$23.00

-17.42%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-14.91%

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

$21.3K CA$30.0K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-10.02%

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

$176 CA$248

$82.0 MX$1,428

115.17%

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

$42.59 CA$59.9

$22.95 MX$400

85.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 CA$75.7

$30.11 MX$524

78.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 CA$52.2

$52.0 MX$905

-28.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$14.01 CA$19.71

$4.98 MX$86.6

181.33%

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

$846 CA$1,191

$197 MX$3,438

328.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K CA$15.5K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

106.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$81.1

$35.60 MX$620

61.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.87 CA$60.3

$40.33 MX$702

6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 CA$123

$78.8 MX$1,371

10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 CA$144

$88.9 MX$1,549

14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,756 CA$2,471

$947 MX$16.5K

85.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 CA$1,950

$474 MX$8,254

192.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,226 CA$3,133

$1,644 MX$28.6K

35.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 CA$2,248

$1,211 MX$21.1K

31.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 CA$10.8K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

88.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,984 CA$8,419

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-7.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,988 CA$4,205

$654 MX$11.4K

357.03%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,756 in Scarborough 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 357% 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 $81.0 in Scarborough versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 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

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

Yes – Scarborough is pricier by about 111%, 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 $3,976 per month in Scarborough 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 $2,651 in Scarborough 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 301% 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 Scarborough at $2,651. 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.