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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,815 in Mississauga versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,983 in Mississauga versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,150 in Mississauga versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mississauga is roughly 124% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mississauga is 111% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.07 CA$25.33

$11.99 MX$210

50.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.7 CA$113

$41.78 MX$731

93.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 CA$15.53

$10.75 MX$188

3.07%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.77

$3.50 MX$61.1

17.43%

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

$1.62 CA$2.28

$1.45 MX$25.33

11.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 CA$2.15

$0.88 MX$15.47

73.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 CA$8.45

$2.95 MX$51.6

104.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$4.51 MX$78.9

34.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.24

$1.43 MX$25.04

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 CA$3.46

$1.84 MX$32.13

34.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.92

$1.57 MX$27.42

77.71%

Eggs

$3.77 CA$5.28

$2.51 MX$43.92

50.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 CA$19.84

$8.28 MX$145

70.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.27 CA$15.81

$8.43 MX$147

33.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 CA$20.41

$10.68 MX$187

36.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 CA$4.80

$2.61 MX$45.62

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.71

$1.44 MX$25.15

-15.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.14

$1.96 MX$34.31

50.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 CA$4.93

$2.09 MX$36.62

67.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 CA$2.21

$1.85 MX$32.37

-14.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.17 MX$37.90

18.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 CA$2.63

$1.03 MX$18.04

82.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.31

$1.07 MX$18.78

54.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.21 CA$17.12

$4.10 MX$71.7

197.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 CA$18.03

$10.17 MX$178

26.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.52

$1.68 MX$29.29

49.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.53 MX$44.17

2.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.00 CA$4.21

$0.51 MX$8.90

488.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.5 CA$135

$26.04 MX$455

270.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$3.23 MX$56.5

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$2.41 MX$42.06

-48.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.48 CA$31.51

$3.23 MX$56.5

595.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.32 MX$23.10

-13.64%

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

$24.9K CA$34.9K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-16.08%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-11.33%

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

$176 CA$246

$82.0 MX$1,434

114.22%

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

$42.67 CA$59.8

$22.95 MX$401

85.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 CA$73.1

$30.11 MX$527

73.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 CA$63.4

$52.0 MX$909

-12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.19 CA$32.51

$18.53 MX$324

25.15%

Cinema Ticket

$14.02 CA$19.65

$4.98 MX$87.0

181.53%

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

$427 CA$598

$197 MX$3,452

116.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K CA$15.5K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

107.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.78 CA$64.2

$35.60 MX$622

28.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.10 CA$61.8

$40.33 MX$705

9.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 CA$121

$78.8 MX$1,377

9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$146

$88.9 MX$1,555

16.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 CA$2,660

$947 MX$16.6K

100.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 CA$2,265

$474 MX$8,288

240.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,646 CA$3,710

$1,644 MX$28.7K

60.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,351 CA$3,297

$1,211 MX$21.2K

94.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,740 CA$10.9K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

90.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,280 CA$8,804

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-2.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,071 CA$4,305

$654 MX$11.4K

369.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

11.42

-46.76%

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

Last update for Mississauga: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,898 in Mississauga and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mississauga pays 370% 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: $81.0 in Mississauga vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 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

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

Mississauga and Playa del Carmen differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($2,815 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 370% higher in Mississauga, 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: $1,898 in Mississauga versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $81.0 in Mississauga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,815 per month in Mississauga versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,815 in Mississauga, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mississauga. 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.

Safety-wise, Mississauga and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Mississauga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.