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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,598 in Barrie versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,673 in Barrie versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,748 in Barrie versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Barrie is roughly 104% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrie is 93% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.79 CA$20.65

$11.87 MX$204

24.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 CA$104

$42.90 MX$736

73.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 CA$14.45

$10.65 MX$183

-2.82%

Cappuccino

$3.36 CA$4.69

$3.45 MX$59.2

-2.61%

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

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.50 MX$25.81

25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CA$1.57

$0.95 MX$16.28

17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.25 CA$8.73

$3.03 MX$51.9

106.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CA$8.38

$4.61 MX$79.1

30.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 CA$3.97

$1.38 MX$23.61

105.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 CA$4.08

$1.85 MX$31.70

57.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.69

$1.61 MX$27.65

153.42%

Eggs

$3.14 CA$4.39

$2.59 MX$44.51

21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 CA$12.59

$8.26 MX$142

9.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 CA$20.99

$8.37 MX$144

79.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.87 CA$34.73

$10.66 MX$183

133.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.05

$2.63 MX$45.12

37.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.78

$1.49 MX$25.53

-14.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.12

$1.92 MX$32.94

53.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.97

$2.09 MX$35.81

138.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 CA$2.42

$1.86 MX$31.88

-6.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.39

$2.26 MX$38.81

70.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 CA$3.92

$1.06 MX$18.23

165.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.09 MX$18.67

55.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 CA$16.29

$4.15 MX$71.2

180.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 CA$14.35

$10.39 MX$178

-1.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.51

$1.72 MX$29.59

46.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.17

$2.61 MX$44.85

-13.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$0.54 MX$9.30

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 CA$92.0

$26.94 MX$462

144.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 CA$4.05

$3.13 MX$53.7

-7.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.51 MX$43.09

-15.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.81 CA$36.04

$3.15 MX$54.1

719.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$1.27 MX$21.88

-13.39%

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

$24.5K CA$34.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-19.20%

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

$20.0K CA$28.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-15.05%

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

$200 CA$280

$83.0 MX$1,425

141.41%

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

$42.82 CA$59.8

$22.71 MX$390

88.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 CA$105

$29.46 MX$506

154.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 CA$52.1

$51.0 MX$875

-26.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.50 CA$52.4

$18.33 MX$315

104.58%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 CA$18.26

$4.93 MX$84.5

165.31%

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

$1,486 CA$2,075

$197 MX$3,386

653.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

123.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 CA$101

$36.90 MX$633

95.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 CA$78.6

$39.89 MX$685

41.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CA$204

$80.0 MX$1,373

82.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$89.5 MX$1,536

28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 CA$2,006

$956 MX$16.4K

50.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 CA$1,847

$477 MX$8,189

177.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,190 CA$3,058

$1,646 MX$28.3K

33.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,853 CA$2,588

$1,225 MX$21.0K

51.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,149 CA$7,191

$3,918 MX$67.2K

31.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,402 CA$6,148

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-31.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,051 CA$4,260

$667 MX$11.4K

357.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

11.42

-41.94%

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

Last update for Barrie: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,437 in Barrie and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrie pays 357% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Barrie vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $250 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Barrie and Playa del Carmen differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($2,598 vs $1,271 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barrie pays 357% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,437 in Barrie versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 144% less than in Barrie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,486 in Barrie versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,598 in Barrie, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Barrie. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Barrie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.