Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Albert, AB and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,457 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,167 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,878 per month in St. Albert, AB vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St. Albert, AB costs about 93% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Albert, AB sits 83% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.29 CA$25.54

$11.87 MX$204

54.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 CA$90.9

$42.90 MX$736

51.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 CA$15.46

$10.65 MX$183

3.94%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CA$5.24

$3.45 MX$59.2

8.70%

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

$2.15 CA$3.01

$1.50 MX$25.81

43.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.56

$0.95 MX$16.28

92.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 CA$7.12

$3.03 MX$51.9

68.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.32

$4.61 MX$79.1

29.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 CA$2.90

$1.38 MX$23.61

50.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.85

$1.85 MX$31.70

48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$1.61 MX$27.65

96.89%

Eggs

$3.35 CA$4.68

$2.59 MX$44.51

29.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.77 CA$19.23

$8.26 MX$142

66.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 CA$18.10

$8.37 MX$144

54.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.07 CA$22.45

$10.66 MX$183

50.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.16

$2.63 MX$45.12

67.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.84

$1.49 MX$25.53

-11.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.42

$1.92 MX$32.94

102.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.72

$2.09 MX$35.81

95.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$1.86 MX$31.88

39.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$2.26 MX$38.81

20.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$1.06 MX$18.23

151.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.68

$1.09 MX$18.67

76.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.65 CA$20.46

$4.15 MX$71.2

253.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.42 CA$17.34

$10.39 MX$178

19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.03

$1.72 MX$29.59

68.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.42

$2.61 MX$44.85

21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 CA$3.02

$0.54 MX$9.30

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 CA$89.9

$26.94 MX$462

139.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 CA$4.86

$3.13 MX$53.7

11.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.87

$2.51 MX$43.09

-46.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.46 CA$32.76

$3.15 MX$54.1

644.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.27 MX$21.88

-13.39%

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

$24.7K CA$34.5K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-18.68%

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

$21.9K CA$30.6K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-7.14%

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

$198 CA$276

$83.0 MX$1,425

138.10%

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

$40.79 CA$57.0

$22.71 MX$390

79.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.5 CA$81.7

$29.46 MX$506

98.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.41 CA$56.4

$51.0 MX$875

-20.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$12.68 CA$17.70

$4.93 MX$84.5

157.20%

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

$683 CA$953

$197 MX$3,386

246.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.7K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

126.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 CA$80.5

$36.90 MX$633

56.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 CA$58.9

$39.89 MX$685

5.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 CA$114

$80.0 MX$1,373

1.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$89.5 MX$1,536

19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 CA$1,811

$956 MX$16.4K

35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CA$1,656

$477 MX$8,189

148.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 CA$1,903

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-17.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 CA$1,639

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-4.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,542 CA$3,551

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-35.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,607 CA$3,640

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-59.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,131 CA$4,372

$667 MX$11.4K

369.37%

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 St. Albert, AB: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,297 in St. Albert, AB versus $956 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 369% higher in St. Albert, AB, 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 $65.0 in St. Albert, AB versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $250 – 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

St. Albert, AB vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Albert, AB is pricier by about 93%, 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 $3,685 per month in St. Albert, AB and $1,906 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 $2,457 in St. Albert, AB and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 139% 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 $1,271, than in St. Albert, AB at $2,457. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Albert, AB 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, St. Albert, AB makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.