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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,864 per month in Thompson vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,795 per month in Thompson vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,725 per month in Thompson vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Thompson costs about 47% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Thompson sits 39% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.89 CA$23.59

$11.87 MX$204

42.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 CA$98.6

$42.90 MX$736

64.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.67

$10.65 MX$183

5.35%

Cappuccino

$3.71 CA$5.18

$3.45 MX$59.2

7.54%

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

$1.98 CA$2.77

$1.50 MX$25.81

32.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$0.95 MX$16.28

71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 CA$7.68

$3.03 MX$51.9

81.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 CA$8.21

$4.61 MX$79.1

27.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$1.38 MX$23.61

54.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CA$3.63

$1.85 MX$31.70

40.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.93

$1.61 MX$27.65

119.25%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.75

$2.59 MX$44.51

31.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$15.88

$8.26 MX$142

37.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.53 CA$16.10

$8.37 MX$144

37.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 CA$20.44

$10.66 MX$183

37.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.76

$2.63 MX$45.12

57.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 CA$1.91

$1.49 MX$25.53

-8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.06

$1.92 MX$32.94

88.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$2.09 MX$35.81

74.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.38

$1.86 MX$31.88

30.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$2.26 MX$38.81

8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$1.06 MX$18.23

137.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.41

$1.09 MX$18.67

57.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.00 CA$19.55

$4.15 MX$71.2

237.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.36 CA$17.27

$10.39 MX$178

18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$1.72 MX$29.59

69.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.26

$2.61 MX$44.85

16.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.33

$0.54 MX$9.30

342.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$88.0

$26.94 MX$462

133.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CA$4.45

$3.13 MX$53.7

1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$2.51 MX$43.09

-42.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.94 CA$36.23

$3.15 MX$54.1

723.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.27 MX$21.88

-7.87%

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

$25.4K CA$35.5K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-16.26%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-10.80%

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

$145 CA$202

$83.0 MX$1,425

74.39%

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

$44.24 CA$61.8

$22.71 MX$390

94.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.9 CA$86.5

$29.46 MX$506

110.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.95 CA$58.6

$51.0 MX$875

-17.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 CA$16.24

$4.93 MX$84.5

135.90%

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

$741 CA$1,035

$197 MX$3,386

275.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

121.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 CA$75.8

$36.90 MX$633

47.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.75 CA$55.5

$39.89 MX$685

-0.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 CA$119

$80.0 MX$1,373

6.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$89.5 MX$1,536

20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 CA$977

$956 MX$16.4K

-26.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 CA$970

$477 MX$8,189

45.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 CA$1,612

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-29.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 CA$1,598

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-6.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,971 CA$6,942

$3,918 MX$67.2K

26.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,897 CA$5,443

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-39.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,556 CA$2,173

$667 MX$11.4K

133.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Thompson: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Thompson versus $956 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 133% higher in Thompson, 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 $71.0 in Thompson versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $250 – 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

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

Yes – Thompson is pricier by about 47%, 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 $2,795 per month in Thompson and $1,906 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 $1,864 in Thompson and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 134% 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 $1,271, than in Thompson at $1,864. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thompson 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, Thompson makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.