Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Surrey and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,329 per month in Surrey vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,611 per month in Surrey vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,893 per month in Surrey vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surrey costs about 84% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surrey sits 70% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.21 CA$25.47

$11.60 MX$200

56.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 CA$81.8

$47.11 MX$812

24.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 CA$14.85

$11.88 MX$205

-10.69%

Cappuccino

$3.59 CA$5.02

$3.98 MX$68.6

-9.80%

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

$2.06 CA$2.89

$1.43 MX$24.60

44.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$0.82 MX$14.22

98.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.40

$3.19 MX$55.0

88.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 CA$8.65

$6.79 MX$117

-8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 CA$3.51

$1.68 MX$28.89

49.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 CA$3.00

$2.20 MX$37.88

-2.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.99

$1.71 MX$29.45

108.77%

Eggs

$3.33 CA$4.66

$2.74 MX$47.26

21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 CA$14.11

$9.58 MX$165

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 CA$15.00

$9.01 MX$155

19.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.77 CA$29.06

$12.81 MX$221

62.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.69

$2.89 MX$49.81

15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.90

$1.50 MX$25.81

-9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.23

$2.15 MX$37.03

40.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.33

$2.26 MX$38.96

37.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$1.98 MX$34.15

31.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.99

$1.99 MX$34.30

7.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 CA$2.88

$1.23 MX$21.28

67.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.20 MX$20.63

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 CA$19.79

$4.55 MX$78.5

210.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.46

$10.37 MX$179

41.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$1.62 MX$27.91

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.44

$2.88 MX$49.67

10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.59 CA$3.63

$0.60 MX$10.35

331.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$156

$28.80 MX$497

287.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$5.39 MX$92.9

-50.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 CA$2.22

$3.73 MX$64.3

-57.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.99 CA$39.16

$5.77 MX$99.5

385.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 CA$1.77

$1.54 MX$26.48

-18.18%

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

$28.7K CA$40.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

27.35%

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

$19.2K CA$26.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-26.35%

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

$187 CA$262

$91.4 MX$1,576

104.66%

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

$37.07 CA$51.9

$25.20 MX$435

47.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.3 CA$91.3

$31.24 MX$539

108.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.52 CA$49.69

$67.2 MX$1,159

-47.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.06 CA$36.45

$29.11 MX$502

-10.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 CA$18.31

$4.86 MX$83.8

169.34%

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

$846 CA$1,184

$224 MX$3,856

278.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K CA$17.3K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

192.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 CA$78.0

$47.10 MX$812

18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 CA$88.3

$44.29 MX$764

42.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 CA$138

$80.1 MX$1,381

22.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 CA$127

$92.7 MX$1,598

-1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 CA$1,869

$1,063 MX$18.3K

25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 CA$1,488

$390 MX$6,728

172.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,747 CA$3,843

$2,149 MX$37.1K

27.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 CA$2,976

$1,272 MX$21.9K

67.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,623 CA$13.5K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

140.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,505 CA$11.9K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

30.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,158 CA$4,417

$758 MX$13.1K

316.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.87

11.45

-57.47%

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

Last update for Surrey: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,336 in Surrey versus $1,063 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 317% higher in Surrey, 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 $58.0 in Surrey versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $363 vs $276 – 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

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

Yes – Surrey is pricier by about 84%, 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 $3,494 per month in Surrey and $1,899 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 $2,329 in Surrey and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 287% 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 $1,266, than in Surrey at $2,329. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surrey 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, Surrey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.