Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Gatineau and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,118 per month in Gatineau vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,127 per month in Gatineau vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,136 per month in Gatineau vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Gatineau costs about 67% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Gatineau sits 55% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.85 CA$17.97

$11.60 MX$200

10.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$121

$47.11 MX$812

84.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.22

$11.88 MX$205

-8.42%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CA$4.52

$3.98 MX$68.6

-18.84%

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

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.43 MX$24.60

1.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.87

$0.82 MX$14.22

63.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.30 CA$6.01

$3.19 MX$55.0

34.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$8.85

$6.79 MX$117

-6.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.79

$1.68 MX$28.89

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$2.20 MX$37.88

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.21 CA$7.28

$1.71 MX$29.45

204.68%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.47

$2.74 MX$47.26

16.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 CA$16.85

$9.58 MX$165

25.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 CA$14.29

$9.01 MX$155

13.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 CA$15.59

$12.81 MX$221

-12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.60

$2.89 MX$49.81

38.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 CA$2.71

$1.50 MX$25.81

28.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.91 CA$6.87

$2.15 MX$37.03

128.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 CA$6.60

$2.26 MX$38.96

108.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.05

$1.98 MX$34.15

10.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$1.99 MX$34.30

30.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$1.23 MX$21.28

78.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 CA$3.74

$1.20 MX$20.63

122.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.21 CA$17.09

$4.55 MX$78.5

168.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.64 CA$17.68

$10.37 MX$179

21.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.91

$1.62 MX$27.91

72.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CA$4.64

$2.88 MX$49.67

15.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 CA$4.58

$0.60 MX$10.35

445.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.3 CA$114

$28.80 MX$497

182.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 CA$6.91

$5.39 MX$92.9

-8.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CA$3.18

$3.73 MX$64.3

-39.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.64 CA$47.06

$5.77 MX$99.5

483.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.54 MX$26.48

-20.13%

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

$28.5K CA$39.9K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

26.51%

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

$19.2K CA$26.9K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-26.29%

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

$115 CA$161

$91.4 MX$1,576

26.18%

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

$36.15 CA$50.6

$25.20 MX$435

43.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.21 CA$68.8

$31.24 MX$539

57.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.47 CA$67.8

$67.2 MX$1,159

-27.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.39 CA$41.11

$29.11 MX$502

0.96%

Cinema Ticket

$11.00 CA$15.38

$4.86 MX$83.8

126.34%

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

$566 CA$792

$224 MX$3,856

153.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 CA$101

$47.10 MX$812

52.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.40 CA$60.7

$44.29 MX$764

-2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$122

$80.1 MX$1,381

8.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$170

$92.7 MX$1,598

31.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 CA$1,567

$1,063 MX$18.3K

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$976 CA$1,365

$390 MX$6,728

150.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 CA$2,555

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-15.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 CA$2,129

$1,272 MX$21.9K

19.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,300 CA$7,413

$4,001 MX$69.0K

32.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,120 CA$8,561

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-5.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,676 CA$3,744

$758 MX$13.1K

253.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.64

11.45

-59.48%

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

Last update for Gatineau: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Gatineau versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 253% higher in Gatineau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Gatineau versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $276 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Gatineau costs about 67% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,177 per month in Gatineau and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,118 in Gatineau and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 182% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Gatineau at $2,118. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gatineau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $2,118 in Gatineau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gatineau makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.