Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,071 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,131 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,191 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador costs about 60% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador sits 55% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.72 CA$25.91

$11.73 MX$203

59.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.3 CA$102

$41.62 MX$720

76.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 CA$16.14

$10.64 MX$184

9.59%

Cappuccino

$3.32 CA$4.60

$3.52 MX$60.9

-5.68%

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

$2.48 CA$3.44

$1.51 MX$26.12

64.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.97 MX$16.84

85.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 CA$6.95

$2.95 MX$51.0

70.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$4.45 MX$77.0

17.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CA$4.07

$1.38 MX$23.93

113.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 CA$4.55

$1.89 MX$32.72

74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.23

$1.64 MX$28.32

174.39%

Eggs

$3.89 CA$5.39

$2.51 MX$43.34

54.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 CA$12.11

$8.34 MX$144

4.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.79

$8.34 MX$144

54.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 CA$15.50

$10.73 MX$186

4.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 CA$7.67

$2.60 MX$45.04

113.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 CA$3.06

$1.46 MX$25.20

51.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 CA$7.37

$1.90 MX$32.87

180.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.19

$2.08 MX$35.91

45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.78 MX$30.71

23.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.68

$2.19 MX$37.80

21.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.36 CA$4.66

$1.04 MX$17.99

223.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$1.08 MX$18.62

108.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 CA$20.36

$4.08 MX$70.6

260.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 CA$19.77

$10.32 MX$178

38.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 CA$5.81

$1.71 MX$29.61

145.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 CA$6.51

$2.58 MX$44.54

82.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.51 MX$8.81

252.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 CA$79.7

$26.46 MX$458

117.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 CA$4.54

$3.26 MX$56.4

0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 CA$2.38

$2.49 MX$43.09

-30.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 CA$41.70

$3.25 MX$56.2

826.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.73

$1.31 MX$22.61

-4.58%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-17.68%

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

$22.0K CA$30.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-6.09%

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

$198 CA$275

$82.9 MX$1,433

139.36%

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

$58.2 CA$80.6

$22.22 MX$384

162.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.9 CA$108

$29.34 MX$507

165.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 CA$108

$51.6 MX$893

50.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 CA$15.03

$18.32 MX$317

-40.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 CA$12.37

$5.07 MX$87.6

76.13%

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

$505 CA$699

$201 MX$3,473

151.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,949 CA$12.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

71.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 CA$95.0

$36.92 MX$639

85.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 CA$71.9

$39.79 MX$688

30.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$119

$78.5 MX$1,357

9.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 CA$134

$87.1 MX$1,506

11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 CA$1,312

$973 MX$16.8K

-2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 CA$1,040

$468 MX$8,090

60.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CA$1,993

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CA$1,787

$1,221 MX$21.1K

5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,051 CA$2,840

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-48.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,613 CA$2,234

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-75.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,870 CA$3,974

$664 MX$11.5K

332.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

11.42

-40.72%

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

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 332% higher in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $73.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 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

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is pricier by about 60%, 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 $3,107 per month in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 $2,071 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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 118% 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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,071. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 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. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.