Cost of Living Comparison Between Elliot Lake, ON and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Elliot Lake, ON and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,422 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,490 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,557 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elliot Lake, ON is roughly 92% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elliot Lake, ON is 80% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.74 CA$22.93

$11.61 MX$201

44.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 CA$79.4

$42.75 MX$742

35.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 CA$13.28

$10.60 MX$184

-8.58%

Cappuccino

$3.64 CA$4.98

$3.59 MX$62.3

1.39%

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

$2.07 CA$2.84

$1.45 MX$25.21

42.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.33

$0.90 MX$15.58

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.37 CA$7.36

$3.03 MX$52.6

77.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.76 CA$9.26

$4.56 MX$79.2

48.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 CA$2.76

$1.45 MX$25.20

39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 CA$2.69

$1.83 MX$31.72

7.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.00 CA$6.86

$1.61 MX$27.92

210.56%

Eggs

$3.83 CA$5.25

$2.54 MX$44.05

50.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 CA$17.28

$8.54 MX$148

47.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.36 CA$22.41

$8.47 MX$147

93.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 CA$17.61

$10.86 MX$189

18.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 CA$7.66

$2.73 MX$47.37

104.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 CA$2.76

$1.49 MX$25.91

34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.41

$1.94 MX$33.73

103.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.71 CA$6.45

$2.16 MX$37.57

118.06%

Potato (1kg)

$4.62 CA$6.32

$1.85 MX$32.05

149.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.34

$2.19 MX$38.00

44.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.85

$1.07 MX$18.62

94.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 CA$3.87

$1.08 MX$18.81

161.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.53 CA$19.91

$4.06 MX$70.5

257.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 CA$18.18

$10.46 MX$182

26.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.31 CA$4.53

$1.65 MX$28.71

100.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CA$2.81

$2.55 MX$44.23

-19.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.27

$0.56 MX$9.65

326.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 CA$86.0

$26.20 MX$455

139.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 CA$4.60

$3.14 MX$54.5

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$2.37 MX$41.17

-39.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.98 CA$49.29

$3.24 MX$56.2

1010.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.46

$1.31 MX$22.81

-19.08%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-17.49%

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

$20.4K CA$27.9K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-14.42%

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

$105 CA$144

$83.1 MX$1,443

26.83%

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

$49.89 CA$68.4

$22.15 MX$385

125.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.2 CA$110

$29.37 MX$510

173.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 CA$56.4

$51.2 MX$889

-19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 CA$15.16

$4.89 MX$84.9

126.38%

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

$730 CA$1,000

$199 MX$3,449

267.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,856 CA$12.1K

$5,207 MX$90.4K

70.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 CA$85.5

$35.93 MX$624

73.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.57 CA$54.2

$39.39 MX$684

0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$141

$80.3 MX$1,394

27.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CA$221

$87.6 MX$1,520

83.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 CA$1,823

$963 MX$16.7K

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 CA$1,641

$482 MX$8,370

148.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 CA$2,799

$1,645 MX$28.6K

24.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 CA$2,506

$1,192 MX$20.7K

53.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,886 CA$5,324

$3,957 MX$68.7K

-1.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,268 CA$4,477

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-49.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$726 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

11.42

-42.29%

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

Last update for Elliot Lake, ON: April 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,331 in Elliot Lake, ON and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58 in Elliot Lake, ON vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 vs $253 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

Elliot Lake, ON vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,633 in Elliot Lake, ON and $1,894 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,331 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,422 per month in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 140% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,422 in Elliot Lake, ON, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Elliot Lake, ON. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elliot Lake, ON, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.