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 $2,727 per month in Surrey vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,080 per month in Surrey vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,433 per month in Surrey vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surrey costs about 112% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surrey sits 104% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.15 CA$24.86

$11.94 MX$209

52.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$112

$42.75 MX$748

91.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.18 CA$15.32

$10.59 MX$185

5.57%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.73

$3.62 MX$63.4

15.47%

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

$2.14 CA$2.93

$1.47 MX$25.69

45.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 CA$2.49

$0.94 MX$16.51

93.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.81 CA$7.96

$3.09 MX$54.1

88.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 CA$9.65

$4.46 MX$78.0

57.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.56 CA$3.50

$1.43 MX$24.94

79.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.57

$1.88 MX$32.97

38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.61 CA$7.69

$1.63 MX$28.50

244.17%

Eggs

$3.65 CA$5.00

$2.64 MX$46.26

38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 CA$14.38

$8.21 MX$144

27.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$15.92

$8.29 MX$145

40.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.75 CA$33.90

$11.10 MX$194

122.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.59

$2.65 MX$46.40

26.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.50 MX$26.26

-14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CA$4.08

$1.99 MX$34.79

49.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.58

$2.08 MX$36.33

60.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$1.79 MX$31.29

38.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.77

$2.18 MX$38.09

-7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 CA$3.44

$1.08 MX$18.84

132.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.67

$1.04 MX$18.15

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.01 CA$20.56

$3.97 MX$69.5

278.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 CA$20.00

$10.20 MX$179

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.38

$1.73 MX$30.22

127.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 CA$5.26

$2.50 MX$43.71

53.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 CA$4.22

$0.52 MX$9.07

492.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 CA$175

$26.97 MX$472

374.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 CA$3.76

$3.14 MX$55.0

-12.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.01

$2.40 MX$42.04

-38.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 CA$39.87

$3.09 MX$54.0

841.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.27 MX$22.28

3.94%

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

$24.6K CA$33.6K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-20.49%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-10.57%

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

$188 CA$257

$82.0 MX$1,435

128.78%

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

$41.29 CA$56.6

$22.45 MX$393

83.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CA$90.4

$29.66 MX$519

122.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.18 CA$61.9

$51.9 MX$908

-12.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 CA$25.69

$18.67 MX$327

0.43%

Cinema Ticket

$12.40 CA$16.99

$4.97 MX$87.0

149.50%

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

$884 CA$1,211

$198 MX$3,462

346.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K CA$17.3K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

140.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$77.9

$36.34 MX$636

56.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 CA$75.1

$40.05 MX$701

36.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$141

$79.9 MX$1,398

28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$130

$88.9 MX$1,555

6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 CA$2,229

$963 MX$16.9K

68.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 CA$1,903

$465 MX$8,133

198.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 CA$4,266

$1,596 MX$27.9K

95.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 CA$3,368

$1,209 MX$21.2K

103.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.5K CA$14.4K

$3,942 MX$69.0K

166.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,524 CA$11.7K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

32.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,110 CA$4,261

$720 MX$12.6K

331.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.42

-42.73%

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

Last update for Surrey: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,627 in Surrey versus $963 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 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 $82.0 in Surrey versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $251 – 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 112%, 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 $4,091 per month in Surrey and $1,930 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 $2,727 in Surrey and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 375% 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 $1,287, than in Surrey at $2,727. 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.