Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sydney, NS and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,880 per month in Sydney, NS vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,831 per month in Sydney, NS vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,782 per month in Sydney, NS vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sydney, NS costs about 49% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sydney, NS sits 40% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 CA$16.02

$11.61 MX$201

0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 CA$83.8

$42.75 MX$742

43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 CA$9.67

$10.60 MX$184

-33.40%

Cappuccino

$3.00 CA$4.12

$3.59 MX$62.3

-16.43%

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

$2.20 CA$3.01

$1.45 MX$25.21

51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CA$2.71

$0.90 MX$15.58

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.57 CA$7.64

$3.03 MX$52.6

83.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$7.87

$4.56 MX$79.2

25.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.09

$1.45 MX$25.20

55.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$1.83 MX$31.72

41.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.48

$1.61 MX$27.92

57.76%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.85

$2.54 MX$44.05

39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 CA$9.01

$8.54 MX$148

-23.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 CA$11.95

$8.47 MX$147

2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 CA$19.02

$10.86 MX$189

27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 CA$10.05

$2.73 MX$47.37

168.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.71

$1.49 MX$25.91

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$1.94 MX$33.73

87.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$2.16 MX$37.57

-33.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 CA$1.16

$1.85 MX$32.05

-54.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$2.19 MX$38.00

15.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 CA$3.32

$1.07 MX$18.62

127.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.38

$1.08 MX$18.81

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.69 CA$25.61

$4.06 MX$70.5

360.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 CA$16.00

$10.46 MX$182

11.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.91

$1.65 MX$28.71

72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 CA$5.88

$2.55 MX$44.23

68.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$0.56 MX$9.65

101.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.24 CA$67.5

$26.20 MX$455

87.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 CA$6.21

$3.14 MX$54.5

44.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$2.37 MX$41.17

-40.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.31 CA$34.67

$3.24 MX$56.2

681.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.58

$1.31 MX$22.81

-11.45%

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

$24.9K CA$34.2K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-18.36%

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

$20.1K CA$27.5K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-15.66%

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

$90.9 CA$124

$83.1 MX$1,443

9.29%

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

$48.11 CA$65.9

$22.15 MX$385

117.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 CA$105

$29.37 MX$510

161.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 CA$68.9

$51.2 MX$889

-1.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.63 CA$4.98

$18.69 MX$324

-80.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.97 CA$10.91

$4.89 MX$84.9

62.99%

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

$741 CA$1,015

$199 MX$3,449

273.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.2K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

127.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.7 CA$98.2

$35.93 MX$624

99.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.1 CA$93.3

$39.39 MX$684

72.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$142

$80.3 MX$1,394

29.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$149

$87.6 MX$1,520

24.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,491

$963 MX$16.7K

13.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 CA$1,111

$482 MX$8,370

68.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,962 CA$2,687

$1,645 MX$28.6K

19.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 CA$1,977

$1,192 MX$20.7K

21.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,060 CA$6,933

$3,957 MX$68.7K

27.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,746 CA$5,132

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-42.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,560 CA$3,507

$726 MX$12.6K

252.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

11.42

-40.02%

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

Last update for Sydney, NS: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,089 in Sydney, NS 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 252% higher in Sydney, NS, 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 $61 in Sydney, NS versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $253 – 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

Sydney, NS vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sydney, NS is pricier by about 49%, 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 $2,820 per month in Sydney, NS and $1,894 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 $1,880 in Sydney, NS and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 88% 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 $1,262, than in Sydney, NS at $1,880. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sydney, NS 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, Sydney, NS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.