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: $2,300 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,330 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Elliot Lake, ON is roughly 78% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Elliot Lake, ON is 67% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.76 CA$24.57

$11.71 MX$198

51.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.6 CA$93.5

$46.59 MX$786

44.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 CA$14.72

$11.65 MX$197

-8.67%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CA$5.19

$4.09 MX$69.1

-8.31%

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

$2.11 CA$2.92

$1.37 MX$23.20

54.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.31

$0.83 MX$14.07

101.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.52 CA$7.63

$3.35 MX$56.6

64.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 CA$7.90

$6.91 MX$117

-17.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.04

$1.73 MX$29.15

27.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.26 MX$38.15

11.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.61

$1.77 MX$29.86

88.14%

Eggs

$3.05 CA$4.21

$2.73 MX$46.12

11.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 CA$12.19

$9.18 MX$155

-4.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 CA$16.58

$8.92 MX$151

34.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.66 CA$17.52

$12.60 MX$213

0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 CA$6.00

$3.02 MX$51.0

43.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.13

$1.57 MX$26.51

-1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.03

$2.13 MX$35.88

70.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.50

$2.26 MX$38.22

75.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.99

$2.00 MX$33.82

44.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.83

$2.06 MX$34.85

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 CA$2.97

$1.18 MX$19.91

82.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.20 MX$20.32

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.13 CA$22.31

$4.63 MX$78.2

248.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.60 CA$17.44

$10.69 MX$180

17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 CA$3.63

$1.62 MX$27.33

61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.94

$2.88 MX$48.63

-1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.30

$0.57 MX$9.68

317.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 CA$78.6

$29.83 MX$503

90.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$5.45 MX$91.9

-50.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$3.70 MX$62.5

-60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.23 CA$29.37

$5.98 MX$101

255.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.57

$1.55 MX$26.22

-26.45%

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

$25.9K CA$35.8K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

15.79%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-24.72%

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

$151 CA$209

$89.1 MX$1,504

69.46%

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

$42.52 CA$58.8

$25.04 MX$423

69.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 CA$78.0

$31.50 MX$532

78.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.36 CA$64.2

$67.8 MX$1,144

-31.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.00 CA$23.52

$28.92 MX$488

-41.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.06 CA$18.07

$5.05 MX$85.2

158.61%

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

$726 CA$1,004

$225 MX$3,797

222.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K CA$19.2K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

228.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 CA$81.6

$47.44 MX$801

24.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 CA$55.6

$44.98 MX$759

-10.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 CA$137

$82.0 MX$1,384

21.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CA$151

$92.1 MX$1,555

18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 CA$1,788

$1,069 MX$18.0K

20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 CA$1,774

$405 MX$6,842

216.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,900 CA$2,629

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 CA$2,218

$1,301 MX$22.0K

23.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,553 CA$6,300

$3,995 MX$67.4K

13.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,851 CA$5,328

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-41.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

11.45

-59.13%

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

Last update for Elliot Lake, ON: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,292 in Elliot Lake, ON and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Elliot Lake, ON vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $277 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 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,450 in Elliot Lake, ON and $1,940 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: $1,292 in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,300 per month in Elliot Lake, ON versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 78% 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 90% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,300 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 78% less than in Elliot Lake, ON. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.