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 $2,706 per month in Surrey vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,121 per month in Surrey vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,535 per month in Surrey vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Surrey costs about 115% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surrey sits 103% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 CA$25.65

$11.72 MX$203

56.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 CA$112

$41.89 MX$725

91.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 CA$15.40

$10.51 MX$182

4.57%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.75

$3.59 MX$62.0

14.21%

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

$2.03 CA$2.84

$1.51 MX$26.10

34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$0.92 MX$15.83

89.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.47

$2.96 MX$51.2

104.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 CA$9.86

$4.41 MX$76.3

59.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 CA$3.70

$1.40 MX$24.16

88.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$1.88 MX$32.60

38.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.56

$1.56 MX$26.97

245.51%

Eggs

$3.58 CA$5.02

$2.61 MX$45.14

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 CA$14.51

$8.32 MX$144

24.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.66 CA$16.34

$8.35 MX$145

39.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.92 CA$34.92

$10.86 MX$188

129.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.68

$2.71 MX$46.93

23.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.51 MX$26.04

-11.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$1.87 MX$32.41

64.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.77

$2.19 MX$37.89

55.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CA$3.45

$1.86 MX$32.14

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CA$2.79

$2.23 MX$38.59

-10.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$1.07 MX$18.48

125.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.09 MX$18.79

81.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.61 CA$20.48

$4.19 MX$72.4

248.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 CA$19.60

$10.43 MX$180

34.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 CA$5.39

$1.66 MX$28.68

131.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 CA$5.64

$2.61 MX$45.19

54.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$0.54 MX$9.37

492.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$127 CA$178

$26.16 MX$453

384.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 CA$3.90

$3.08 MX$53.3

-9.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$2.40 MX$41.61

-37.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.40 CA$39.80

$3.13 MX$54.1

807.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-14.96%

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

$20.9K CA$29.3K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-10.24%

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

$192 CA$269

$81.3 MX$1,406

136.42%

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

$42.36 CA$59.4

$22.56 MX$390

87.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 CA$92.6

$30.05 MX$520

120.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.22 CA$62.0

$52.9 MX$915

-16.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 CA$26.21

$18.39 MX$318

1.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 CA$17.51

$4.92 MX$85.1

154.07%

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

$909 CA$1,273

$201 MX$3,474

352.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K CA$17.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

143.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 CA$77.9

$35.92 MX$622

54.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 CA$74.0

$40.13 MX$694

31.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$79.7 MX$1,379

29.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 CA$133

$86.5 MX$1,496

9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 CA$2,284

$978 MX$16.9K

66.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 CA$1,916

$470 MX$8,140

190.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,074 CA$4,307

$1,651 MX$28.6K

86.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,424 CA$3,397

$1,203 MX$20.8K

101.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,719 CA$13.6K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

145.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,636 CA$12.1K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

30.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,016 CA$4,226

$677 MX$11.7K

345.75%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,630 in Surrey versus $978 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 346% 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 $80.0 in Surrey versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $252 – 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 115%, 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 $4,059 per month in Surrey and $1,890 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 $2,706 in Surrey and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 385% 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 $1,260, than in Surrey at $2,706. 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.