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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,914 per month in Terrace vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,928 per month in Terrace vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,942 per month in Terrace vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Terrace costs about 48% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Terrace sits 43% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.14 CA$25.20

$11.73 MX$203

54.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.3 CA$116

$41.62 MX$721

100.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.24 CA$15.61

$10.64 MX$184

5.64%

Cappuccino

$3.85 CA$5.34

$3.52 MX$61.0

9.38%

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

$2.05 CA$2.85

$1.51 MX$26.17

35.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.35

$0.97 MX$16.87

74.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 CA$6.07

$2.95 MX$51.1

48.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.86 CA$8.14

$4.45 MX$77.2

31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$1.38 MX$23.97

78.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.79

$1.89 MX$32.78

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 CA$7.49

$1.64 MX$28.37

228.66%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.54

$2.51 MX$43.42

58.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 CA$12.58

$8.34 MX$145

8.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.65 CA$21.74

$8.34 MX$145

87.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 CA$19.55

$10.73 MX$186

31.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.17

$2.60 MX$45.12

70.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 CA$1.77

$1.46 MX$25.25

-12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 CA$4.50

$1.90 MX$32.94

70.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.41

$2.08 MX$35.98

87.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.79

$1.78 MX$30.77

93.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.33

$2.19 MX$37.87

42.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.58

$1.04 MX$18.02

147.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CA$1.40

$1.08 MX$18.66

-6.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 CA$16.56

$4.08 MX$70.7

192.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 CA$19.27

$10.32 MX$179

34.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CA$3.07

$1.71 MX$29.67

29.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.60

$2.58 MX$44.63

-27.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$0.51 MX$8.83

194.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.71 CA$45.45

$26.46 MX$459

23.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.38

$3.26 MX$56.5

-3.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$2.49 MX$43.17

-40.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.92 CA$36.02

$3.25 MX$56.3

697.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.31 MX$22.65

-8.40%

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

$28.5K CA$39.6K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-5.98%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-11.81%

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

$96.6 CA$134

$82.9 MX$1,436

16.60%

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

$39.57 CA$55.0

$22.22 MX$385

78.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$86.4

$29.34 MX$508

111.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.46 CA$60.4

$51.6 MX$895

-15.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$9.37 CA$13.02

$5.07 MX$87.8

84.81%

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

$745 CA$1,035

$201 MX$3,480

271.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

122.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.97 CA$52.8

$36.92 MX$640

2.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.04 CA$44.52

$39.79 MX$689

-19.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 CA$114

$78.5 MX$1,360

5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.07 CA$64.0

$87.1 MX$1,509

-47.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 CA$1,455

$973 MX$16.9K

7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 CA$1,192

$468 MX$8,105

83.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,693 CA$2,352

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 CA$1,944

$1,221 MX$21.2K

14.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,481 CA$6,226

$3,946 MX$68.4K

13.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 CA$5,116

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-43.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,246 CA$4,510

$664 MX$11.5K

388.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.22

11.42

-54.29%

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

Last update for Terrace: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Terrace 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 389% higher in Terrace, 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 $83.0 in Terrace versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 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

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

Yes – Terrace is pricier by about 48%, 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 $2,870 per month in Terrace 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 $1,914 in Terrace 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 24% 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 Terrace at $1,914. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Terrace 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, Terrace makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.