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 $1,653 per month in Sherbrooke vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,630 per month in Sherbrooke vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,607 per month in Sherbrooke vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sherbrooke costs about 28% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sherbrooke sits 20% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.96 CA$24.76

$11.71 MX$198

53.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 CA$94.5

$46.59 MX$788

47.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 CA$14.90

$11.65 MX$197

-7.21%

Cappuccino

$3.41 CA$4.71

$4.09 MX$69.2

-16.63%

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

$1.90 CA$2.62

$1.37 MX$23.23

38.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.45

$0.83 MX$14.09

114.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$7.98

$3.35 MX$56.7

72.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$7.02

$6.91 MX$117

-26.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 CA$3.85

$1.73 MX$29.20

61.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 CA$3.96

$2.26 MX$38.21

26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 CA$4.99

$1.77 MX$29.91

104.52%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.40

$2.73 MX$46.19

16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 CA$16.60

$9.18 MX$155

31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 CA$15.14

$8.92 MX$151

23.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.35 CA$22.55

$12.60 MX$213

29.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.77

$3.02 MX$51.1

38.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.10

$1.57 MX$26.55

-3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.32

$2.13 MX$35.93

81.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.67

$2.26 MX$38.28

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$2.00 MX$33.88

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.82

$2.06 MX$34.90

34.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 CA$2.51

$1.18 MX$19.94

54.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.55

$1.20 MX$20.35

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 CA$17.76

$4.63 MX$78.4

178.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 CA$16.80

$10.69 MX$181

14.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.99 CA$5.50

$1.62 MX$27.38

146.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 CA$5.26

$2.88 MX$48.70

32.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.68 CA$3.70

$0.57 MX$9.69

370.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$86.3

$29.83 MX$504

109.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$5.03

$5.45 MX$92.1

-33.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 CA$1.23

$3.70 MX$62.6

-75.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.77 CA$45.19

$5.98 MX$101

447.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.72

$1.55 MX$26.26

-19.35%

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

$28.1K CA$38.7K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

25.79%

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

$19.1K CA$26.3K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-26.57%

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

$72.5 CA$100.0

$89.1 MX$1,507

-18.67%

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

$44.39 CA$61.2

$25.04 MX$423

77.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.99 CA$67.6

$31.50 MX$532

55.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.20 CA$40.26

$67.8 MX$1,146

-56.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 CA$9.39

$28.92 MX$489

-76.45%

Cinema Ticket

$10.33 CA$14.24

$5.05 MX$85.4

104.55%

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

$899 CA$1,239

$225 MX$3,803

299.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,597 CA$13.2K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

127.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 CA$89.7

$47.44 MX$802

37.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.66 CA$43.66

$44.98 MX$760

-29.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 CA$86.8

$82.0 MX$1,386

-23.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 CA$175

$92.1 MX$1,557

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 CA$1,149

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 CA$800

$405 MX$6,852

43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 CA$1,772

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-33.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 CA$1,406

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-21.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,248 CA$3,101

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-43.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 CA$2,475

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-72.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,783 CA$3,838

$749 MX$12.7K

271.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

11.45

-58.43%

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

Last update for Sherbrooke: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $833 in Sherbrooke 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 272% 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 $68.0 in Sherbrooke versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 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

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

Yes – Sherbrooke is pricier by about 28%, 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 $2,479 per month in Sherbrooke 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 $1,653 in Sherbrooke 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 110% 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 Sherbrooke at $1,653. 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.