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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,019 per month in Yellowknife vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,249 per month in Yellowknife vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,479 per month in Yellowknife vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Yellowknife costs about 133% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Yellowknife sits 120% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 CA$27.08

$11.71 MX$199

66.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.1 CA$120

$46.59 MX$792

84.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 CA$12.33

$11.65 MX$198

-23.78%

Cappuccino

$4.37 CA$6.07

$4.09 MX$69.6

6.85%

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

$2.38 CA$3.31

$1.37 MX$23.35

73.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.90

$0.83 MX$14.17

150.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.30

$3.35 MX$57.0

99.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 CA$10.07

$6.91 MX$117

4.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 CA$4.07

$1.73 MX$29.35

69.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.74

$2.26 MX$38.41

19.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 CA$6.51

$1.77 MX$30.07

164.97%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$2.73 MX$46.43

17.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 CA$10.39

$9.18 MX$156

-18.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 CA$22.87

$8.92 MX$152

84.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 CA$22.23

$12.60 MX$214

26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 CA$6.90

$3.02 MX$51.3

64.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$1.57 MX$26.69

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 CA$7.45

$2.13 MX$36.12

151.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.34 CA$10.19

$2.26 MX$38.48

224.78%

Potato (1kg)

$4.62 CA$6.42

$2.00 MX$34.05

131.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.89

$2.06 MX$35.08

70.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.58 CA$4.97

$1.18 MX$20.05

203.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.20 MX$20.46

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.59 CA$24.45

$4.63 MX$78.8

279.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.70 CA$20.43

$10.69 MX$182

37.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$1.62 MX$27.52

162.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CA$8.81

$2.88 MX$48.96

120.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 CA$3.08

$0.57 MX$9.74

287.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 CA$75.3

$29.83 MX$507

81.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.40

$5.45 MX$92.6

-42.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$3.70 MX$63.0

-61.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.55 MX$26.40

-18.06%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$22.3K MX$379.4K

11.34%

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

$19.2K CA$26.7K

$25.9K MX$441.0K

-25.84%

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

$364 CA$506

$89.1 MX$1,515

308.45%

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

$58.5 CA$81.3

$25.04 MX$426

133.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.5 CA$138

$31.50 MX$535

215.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CA$103

$67.8 MX$1,152

9.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 CA$14.17

$5.05 MX$85.8

101.98%

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

$599 CA$833

$225 MX$3,823

166.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 CA$90.5

$47.44 MX$806

37.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 CA$50.3

$44.98 MX$764

-19.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$145

$82.0 MX$1,393

27.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$92.1 MX$1,565

28.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 CA$2,027

$1,069 MX$18.2K

36.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 CA$1,972

$405 MX$6,888

250.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,006

$1,935 MX$32.9K

11.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 CA$2,942

$1,301 MX$22.1K

62.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,098 CA$4,305

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-22.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,840 CA$3,946

$6,626 MX$112.6K

-57.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,117 CA$5,721

$749 MX$12.7K

449.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

11.45

-53.54%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,459 in Yellowknife versus $1,069 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 450% higher in Yellowknife, 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 $86.0 in Yellowknife versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $444 vs $277 – 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

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

Yes – Yellowknife is pricier by about 133%, 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 $4,528 per month in Yellowknife and $1,940 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 $3,019 in Yellowknife and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 82% 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 $1,293, than in Yellowknife at $3,019. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yellowknife 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, Yellowknife makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.