Cost of Living Comparison Between Summerside, PE and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Summerside, PE and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,891 per month in Summerside, PE vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,710 per month in Summerside, PE vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,529 per month in Summerside, PE vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Summerside, PE costs about 46% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Summerside, PE sits 41% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.58 CA$25.73

$11.73 MX$203

58.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.2 CA$77.9

$41.62 MX$720

35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 CA$14.43

$10.64 MX$184

-2.07%

Cappuccino

$3.81 CA$5.27

$3.52 MX$60.9

8.24%

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

$1.75 CA$2.42

$1.51 MX$26.12

15.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.35

$0.97 MX$16.84

75.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.21 CA$7.22

$2.95 MX$51.0

76.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 CA$7.94

$4.45 MX$77.0

28.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$1.38 MX$23.93

65.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$1.89 MX$32.72

53.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.42

$1.64 MX$28.32

182.93%

Eggs

$3.96 CA$5.48

$2.51 MX$43.34

57.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 CA$12.16

$8.34 MX$144

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.18 CA$12.71

$8.34 MX$144

10.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.80 CA$13.57

$10.73 MX$186

-8.67%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 CA$6.98

$2.60 MX$45.04

93.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$1.46 MX$25.20

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.85

$1.90 MX$32.87

84.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.53

$2.08 MX$35.91

91.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.78 MX$30.71

65.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.19 MX$37.80

20.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$1.04 MX$17.99

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.08 MX$18.62

102.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.28 CA$19.77

$4.08 MX$70.6

250.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$10.32 MX$178

31.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.88 CA$5.37

$1.71 MX$29.61

126.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$2.58 MX$44.54

45.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 CA$2.09

$0.51 MX$8.81

196.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.17 CA$66.7

$26.46 MX$458

82.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 CA$5.05

$3.26 MX$56.4

11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 CA$2.95

$2.49 MX$43.09

-14.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.16 CA$30.68

$3.25 MX$56.2

581.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.31 MX$22.61

-11.45%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-17.06%

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

$21.2K CA$29.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-9.52%

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

$121 CA$167

$82.9 MX$1,433

45.64%

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

$49.81 CA$69.0

$22.22 MX$384

124.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 CA$96.7

$29.34 MX$507

137.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.52 CA$45.02

$51.6 MX$893

-37.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.24 CA$15.56

$18.32 MX$317

-38.65%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 CA$14.97

$5.07 MX$87.6

113.21%

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

$650 CA$900

$201 MX$3,473

223.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K CA$21.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

197.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 CA$92.6

$36.92 MX$639

81.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.63 CA$35.48

$39.79 MX$688

-35.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 CA$104

$78.5 MX$1,357

-4.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 CA$98.1

$87.1 MX$1,506

-18.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$951 CA$1,316

$973 MX$16.8K

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 CA$1,057

$468 MX$8,090

63.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 CA$2,385

$1,641 MX$28.4K

4.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 CA$1,459

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-13.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,318 CA$5,979

$3,946 MX$68.3K

9.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,868 CA$5,355

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-40.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,449 CA$3,391

$664 MX$11.5K

268.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

11.42

-49.47%

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

Last update for Summerside, PE: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $951 in Summerside, PE 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 269% higher in Summerside, PE, 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 $56.0 in Summerside, PE versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 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

Summerside, PE vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Summerside, PE is pricier by about 46%, 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 $2,837 per month in Summerside, PE 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 $1,891 in Summerside, PE 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 82% 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 Summerside, PE at $1,891. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Summerside, PE 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, Summerside, PE makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.