Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Saskatchewan and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Saskatchewan and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,373 in Fort Saskatchewan versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,502 in Fort Saskatchewan versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,632 in Fort Saskatchewan versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Fort Saskatchewan is roughly 89% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Saskatchewan is 78% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.92 CA$23.72

$11.99 MX$210

41.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 CA$97.6

$41.78 MX$731

66.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.31

$10.75 MX$188

1.58%

Cappuccino

$3.95 CA$5.53

$3.50 MX$61.1

12.86%

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

$3.26 CA$4.58

$1.45 MX$25.33

124.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 CA$3.71

$0.88 MX$15.47

201.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 CA$11.66

$2.95 MX$51.6

182.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.59 CA$13.45

$4.51 MX$78.9

112.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$1.43 MX$25.04

88.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$1.84 MX$32.13

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.07

$1.57 MX$27.42

130.57%

Eggs

$3.73 CA$5.23

$2.51 MX$43.92

48.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 CA$21.80

$8.28 MX$145

87.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.02 CA$19.66

$8.43 MX$147

66.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.71 CA$30.43

$10.68 MX$187

103.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.90

$2.61 MX$45.62

33.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.44 MX$25.15

29.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$1.96 MX$34.31

83.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.31

$2.09 MX$36.62

81.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.47

$1.85 MX$32.37

33.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$2.17 MX$37.90

14.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.63

$1.03 MX$18.04

151.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.49

$1.07 MX$18.78

66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.75 CA$23.49

$4.10 MX$71.7

308.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 CA$17.12

$10.17 MX$178

20.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.08

$1.68 MX$29.29

73.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.22

$2.53 MX$44.17

18.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.38

$0.51 MX$8.90

372.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.4 CA$87.5

$26.04 MX$455

139.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.41

$3.23 MX$56.5

-2.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$2.41 MX$42.06

-38.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.95 CA$36.38

$3.23 MX$56.5

703.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 CA$1.37

$1.32 MX$23.10

-25.76%

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

$25.0K CA$35.1K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-15.73%

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

$20.4K CA$28.7K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-13.60%

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

$120 CA$168

$82.0 MX$1,434

46.09%

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

$43.93 CA$61.6

$22.95 MX$401

91.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.8 CA$88.1

$30.11 MX$527

108.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.47 CA$59.6

$52.0 MX$909

-18.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.27 CA$25.61

$18.53 MX$324

-1.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 CA$13.66

$4.98 MX$87.0

95.58%

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

$750 CA$1,052

$197 MX$3,452

280.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.5K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

120.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 CA$93.0

$35.60 MX$622

86.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 CA$54.5

$40.33 MX$705

-3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 CA$123

$78.8 MX$1,377

11.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$151

$88.9 MX$1,555

21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CA$1,814

$947 MX$16.6K

36.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 CA$1,681

$474 MX$8,288

153.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,016 CA$2,826

$1,644 MX$28.7K

22.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 CA$2,533

$1,211 MX$21.2K

49.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,530 CA$6,351

$4,056 MX$70.9K

11.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,305 CA$4,633

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-48.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,132 CA$4,391

$654 MX$11.4K

378.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

11.42

-37.13%

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

Last update for Fort Saskatchewan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,294 in Fort Saskatchewan and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Saskatchewan pays 379% 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: $70.0 in Fort Saskatchewan vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $422 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

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

Fort Saskatchewan and Playa del Carmen differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($2,373 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 379% higher in Fort Saskatchewan, 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: $1,294 in Fort Saskatchewan versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $750 in Fort Saskatchewan versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Fort Saskatchewan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,373 in Fort Saskatchewan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort Saskatchewan. 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 89% less than in Fort Saskatchewan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.