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 $1,701 per month in Sherbrooke vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,600 per month in Sherbrooke vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,499 per month in Sherbrooke vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sherbrooke costs about 31% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sherbrooke sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.55 CA$25.77

$11.73 MX$203

58.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 CA$98.2

$41.62 MX$721

69.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 CA$15.58

$10.64 MX$184

5.36%

Cappuccino

$3.34 CA$4.64

$3.52 MX$61.0

-5.11%

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

$1.96 CA$2.72

$1.51 MX$26.17

29.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$0.97 MX$16.87

91.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 CA$8.42

$2.95 MX$51.1

105.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 CA$6.95

$4.45 MX$77.2

12.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.77 CA$3.85

$1.38 MX$23.97

100.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.06

$1.89 MX$32.78

54.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.34

$1.64 MX$28.37

134.76%

Eggs

$3.26 CA$4.53

$2.51 MX$43.42

29.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.37 CA$17.19

$8.34 MX$145

48.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 CA$13.83

$8.34 MX$145

19.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.45 CA$22.85

$10.73 MX$186

53.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 CA$6.90

$2.60 MX$45.12

91.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.46 MX$25.25

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.52

$1.90 MX$32.94

108.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 CA$4.56

$2.08 MX$35.98

57.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$1.78 MX$30.77

1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$2.19 MX$37.87

-10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 CA$2.62

$1.04 MX$18.02

81.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 CA$2.51

$1.08 MX$18.66

67.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.12 CA$18.22

$4.08 MX$70.7

221.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 CA$18.42

$10.32 MX$179

28.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.08

$1.71 MX$29.67

114.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.01

$2.58 MX$44.63

39.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.91

$0.51 MX$8.83

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.0 CA$86.1

$26.46 MX$459

134.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 CA$5.25

$3.26 MX$56.5

15.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 CA$1.12

$2.49 MX$43.17

-67.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.74 CA$46.88

$3.25 MX$56.3

938.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.63

$1.31 MX$22.65

-9.92%

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

$25.0K CA$34.8K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-17.38%

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

$20.3K CA$28.3K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-13.21%

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

$72.4 CA$101

$82.9 MX$1,436

-12.69%

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

$42.76 CA$59.4

$22.22 MX$385

92.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 CA$72.8

$29.34 MX$508

78.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.12 CA$40.47

$51.6 MX$895

-43.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.10 CA$9.86

$18.32 MX$317

-61.24%

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 CA$14.60

$5.07 MX$87.8

107.30%

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

$920 CA$1,278

$201 MX$3,480

358.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,790 CA$13.6K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

87.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 CA$87.8

$36.92 MX$640

71.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.63 CA$42.55

$39.79 MX$689

-23.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 CA$92.5

$78.5 MX$1,360

-15.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$87.1 MX$1,509

21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 CA$1,211

$973 MX$16.9K

-10.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 CA$910

$468 MX$8,105

39.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 CA$1,718

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-24.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 CA$1,378

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-18.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 CA$3,118

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-43.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,757 CA$2,442

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-72.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,811 CA$3,906

$664 MX$11.5K

323.43%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $871 in Sherbrooke versus $973 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 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: $378 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 31%, 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 $2,551 per month in Sherbrooke and $1,945 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 $1,701 in Sherbrooke and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 134% 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 $1,297, than in Sherbrooke at $1,701. 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.