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: $2,407 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,498 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,589 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elliot Lake, ON is roughly 86% 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 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.84 CA$23.42

$11.73 MX$203

43.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 CA$81.6

$41.62 MX$719

40.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 CA$13.22

$10.64 MX$184

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$3.58 CA$4.97

$3.52 MX$60.8

1.70%

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

$2.17 CA$3.01

$1.51 MX$26.09

43.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.48

$0.97 MX$16.82

84.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 CA$7.54

$2.95 MX$51.0

83.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 CA$9.20

$4.45 MX$77.0

48.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 CA$2.80

$1.38 MX$23.90

45.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 CA$2.86

$1.89 MX$32.69

8.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.83

$1.64 MX$28.29

199.39%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.12

$2.51 MX$43.30

46.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$17.89

$8.34 MX$144

54.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.81 CA$21.98

$8.34 MX$144

89.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 CA$18.34

$10.73 MX$185

22.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.45 CA$7.57

$2.60 MX$45.00

109.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.69

$1.46 MX$25.18

32.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.30

$1.90 MX$32.84

100.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 CA$6.48

$2.08 MX$35.88

124.04%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 CA$6.30

$1.78 MX$30.68

154.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 CA$4.43

$2.19 MX$37.76

45.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.89

$1.04 MX$17.97

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$3.99

$1.08 MX$18.60

165.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.87 CA$20.68

$4.08 MX$70.5

264.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CA$17.38

$10.32 MX$178

21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.54

$1.71 MX$29.59

91.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 CA$2.95

$2.58 MX$44.50

-17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.27

$0.51 MX$8.81

360.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 CA$87.7

$26.46 MX$457

138.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$3.26 MX$56.4

3.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$2.49 MX$43.05

-40.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.39 CA$49.22

$3.25 MX$56.1

988.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CA$1.49

$1.31 MX$22.59

-18.32%

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

$25.3K CA$35.2K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-16.50%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-11.70%

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

$106 CA$147

$82.9 MX$1,432

27.87%

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

$49.25 CA$68.5

$22.22 MX$384

121.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.1 CA$109

$29.34 MX$507

166.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 CA$58.1

$51.6 MX$892

-19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$11.18 CA$15.55

$5.07 MX$87.5

120.51%

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

$727 CA$1,011

$201 MX$3,470

262.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,881 CA$12.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

70.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.5

$36.92 MX$638

70.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 CA$54.9

$39.79 MX$688

-0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$143

$78.5 MX$1,356

30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 CA$228

$87.1 MX$1,505

88.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,806

$973 MX$16.8K

33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,615

$468 MX$8,082

148.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 CA$2,816

$1,641 MX$28.4K

23.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 CA$2,482

$1,221 MX$21.1K

46.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,846 CA$6,740

$3,946 MX$68.2K

22.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,893 CA$5,415

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-40.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,299 in Elliot Lake, ON and $973 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 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,611 in Elliot Lake, ON and $1,945 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: $1,299 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,407 per month in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 86% 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 138% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,407 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 86% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.