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: $2,389 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,466 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,544 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elliot Lake, ON is roughly 90% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elliot Lake, ON is 79% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.62 CA$23.39

$11.99 MX$209

38.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 CA$83.5

$41.78 MX$728

41.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 CA$13.83

$10.75 MX$187

-8.56%

Cappuccino

$3.62 CA$5.10

$3.50 MX$60.9

3.43%

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

$2.15 CA$3.02

$1.45 MX$25.22

48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$0.88 MX$15.41

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 CA$7.90

$2.95 MX$51.3

90.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 CA$9.49

$4.51 MX$78.6

49.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.82

$1.43 MX$24.94

40.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 CA$2.87

$1.84 MX$31.99

10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.84 CA$6.80

$1.57 MX$27.31

208.28%

Eggs

$3.70 CA$5.21

$2.51 MX$43.74

47.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.93 CA$18.19

$8.28 MX$144

56.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 CA$22.37

$8.43 MX$147

88.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 CA$18.43

$10.68 MX$186

22.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 CA$7.64

$2.61 MX$45.43

108.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 CA$2.74

$1.44 MX$25.04

35.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.32

$1.96 MX$34.16

92.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 CA$6.53

$2.09 MX$36.47

122.01%

Potato (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.26

$1.85 MX$32.24

140.54%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$2.17 MX$37.74

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 CA$2.99

$1.03 MX$17.96

105.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 CA$4.05

$1.07 MX$18.70

169.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.90 CA$20.96

$4.10 MX$71.4

263.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 CA$17.67

$10.17 MX$177

23.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 CA$4.76

$1.68 MX$29.17

101.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.86

$2.53 MX$43.98

-19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.40

$0.51 MX$8.87

372.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 CA$88.1

$26.04 MX$453

140.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 CA$4.61

$3.23 MX$56.3

1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$2.41 MX$41.88

-41.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.80 CA$48.96

$3.23 MX$56.2

977.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.49

$1.32 MX$23.00

-19.70%

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

$25.0K CA$35.1K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-15.90%

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

$20.3K CA$28.5K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-14.36%

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

$105 CA$148

$82.0 MX$1,428

28.00%

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

$49.16 CA$69.2

$22.95 MX$400

114.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.8 CA$110

$30.11 MX$524

158.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 CA$59.8

$52.0 MX$905

-18.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 CA$15.75

$4.98 MX$86.6

124.70%

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

$744 CA$1,047

$197 MX$3,438

276.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,978 CA$12.6K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

68.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 CA$88.3

$35.60 MX$620

76.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 CA$56.8

$40.33 MX$702

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$146

$78.8 MX$1,371

32.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CA$227

$88.9 MX$1,549

81.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 CA$1,875

$947 MX$16.5K

40.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 CA$1,647

$474 MX$8,254

146.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 CA$2,795

$1,644 MX$28.6K

20.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 CA$2,516

$1,211 MX$21.1K

47.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,659 CA$6,556

$4,056 MX$70.6K

14.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,704 CA$5,212

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-42.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,332 in Elliot Lake, ON and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Elliot Lake, ON vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $249 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,584 in Elliot Lake, ON and $1,884 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: $1,332 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,389 per month in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 90% 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 141% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,389 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 90% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.