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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,745 per month in Sherbrooke vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,616 per month in Sherbrooke vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,487 per month in Sherbrooke vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sherbrooke costs about 39% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sherbrooke sits 31% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.45 CA$25.86

$11.99 MX$210

53.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 CA$99.3

$41.78 MX$733

69.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.22

$10.75 MX$189

0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.33 CA$4.66

$3.50 MX$61.3

-4.86%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.45 MX$25.41

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.61

$0.88 MX$15.52

111.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.36

$2.95 MX$51.7

102.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 CA$7.16

$4.51 MX$79.1

13.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.90

$1.43 MX$25.12

94.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 CA$4.07

$1.84 MX$32.23

57.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.39

$1.57 MX$27.51

145.22%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.51

$2.51 MX$44.06

28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 CA$16.99

$8.28 MX$145

46.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 CA$14.05

$8.43 MX$148

18.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 CA$22.98

$10.68 MX$187

53.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.09

$2.61 MX$45.76

93.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 CA$2.18

$1.44 MX$25.22

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.41

$1.96 MX$34.41

96.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.58

$2.09 MX$36.74

56.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 CA$2.48

$1.85 MX$32.47

-4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.83

$2.17 MX$38.02

-6.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 CA$2.60

$1.03 MX$18.09

79.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.55

$1.07 MX$18.84

70.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.78 CA$17.92

$4.10 MX$72.0

211.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 CA$17.64

$10.17 MX$178

23.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.77 CA$5.29

$1.68 MX$29.38

124.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$2.53 MX$44.31

42.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.95

$0.51 MX$8.93

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.3 CA$88.7

$26.04 MX$457

142.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$3.23 MX$56.7

16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 CA$1.14

$2.41 MX$42.19

-66.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.44 CA$48.28

$3.23 MX$56.6

966.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.32 MX$23.17

-11.36%

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

$24.8K CA$34.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-16.60%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-11.37%

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

$73.9 CA$104

$82.0 MX$1,439

-9.89%

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

$43.69 CA$61.3

$22.95 MX$403

90.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CA$74.3

$30.11 MX$528

75.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 CA$41.63

$52.0 MX$912

-42.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 CA$9.64

$18.53 MX$325

-62.87%

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 CA$14.34

$4.98 MX$87.3

105.22%

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

$885 CA$1,241

$197 MX$3,463

348.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,863 CA$13.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

84.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 CA$88.7

$35.60 MX$624

77.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.12 CA$43.63

$40.33 MX$707

-22.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 CA$91.6

$78.8 MX$1,381

-17.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$88.9 MX$1,560

19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 CA$1,227

$947 MX$16.6K

-7.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 CA$915

$474 MX$8,314

37.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 CA$1,756

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 CA$1,427

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-15.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,170 CA$3,042

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-46.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,770 CA$2,482

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-72.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,743 CA$3,846

$654 MX$11.5K

319.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

11.42

-44.66%

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

Last update for Sherbrooke: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $875 in Sherbrooke 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 320% higher in Sherbrooke, 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 $71.0 in Sherbrooke versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 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

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

Yes – Sherbrooke is pricier by about 39%, 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 $2,618 per month in Sherbrooke 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 $1,745 in Sherbrooke 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 143% 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 Sherbrooke at $1,745. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sherbrooke 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, Sherbrooke makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.