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: $2,665 in Mississauga versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,737 in Mississauga versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,809 in Mississauga versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mississauga is roughly 111% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mississauga is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 CA$24.25

$11.60 MX$200

49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 CA$99.0

$47.11 MX$812

50.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.22

$11.88 MX$205

-8.42%

Cappuccino

$3.75 CA$5.24

$3.98 MX$68.6

-5.78%

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

$1.71 CA$2.39

$1.43 MX$24.60

19.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$0.82 MX$14.22

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.27

$3.19 MX$55.0

85.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.79 CA$8.10

$6.79 MX$117

-14.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.73 CA$3.82

$1.68 MX$28.89

62.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.20 MX$37.88

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 CA$3.49

$1.71 MX$29.45

45.61%

Eggs

$4.41 CA$6.16

$2.74 MX$47.26

60.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 CA$15.96

$9.58 MX$165

19.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 CA$15.97

$9.01 MX$155

26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.37 CA$18.71

$12.81 MX$221

4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.89

$2.89 MX$49.81

20.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.03

$1.50 MX$25.81

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.67

$2.15 MX$37.03

55.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.80

$2.26 MX$38.96

83.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CA$2.65

$1.98 MX$34.15

-4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.21

$1.99 MX$34.30

15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$1.23 MX$21.28

86.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.20 MX$20.63

24.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.76 CA$20.65

$4.55 MX$78.5

224.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 CA$18.13

$10.37 MX$179

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CA$3.43

$1.62 MX$27.91

51.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 CA$3.61

$2.88 MX$49.67

-10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 CA$3.87

$0.60 MX$10.35

360.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CA$141

$28.80 MX$497

250.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$5.39 MX$92.9

-43.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.73

$3.73 MX$64.3

-66.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.31 CA$29.81

$5.77 MX$99.5

269.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.54 MX$26.48

-24.03%

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

$28.0K CA$39.2K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

24.39%

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

$21.1K CA$29.5K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-19.00%

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

$143 CA$200

$91.4 MX$1,576

56.30%

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

$34.98 CA$48.93

$25.20 MX$435

38.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.44 CA$66.4

$31.24 MX$539

51.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.38 CA$53.7

$67.2 MX$1,159

-42.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.90 CA$48.82

$29.11 MX$502

19.89%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 CA$16.13

$4.86 MX$83.8

137.24%

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

$358 CA$501

$224 MX$3,856

60.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K CA$14.8K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

150.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.59 CA$61.0

$47.10 MX$812

-7.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.68 CA$54.1

$44.29 MX$764

-12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 CA$118

$80.1 MX$1,381

5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$145

$92.7 MX$1,598

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,748 CA$2,445

$1,063 MX$18.3K

64.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CA$2,043

$390 MX$6,728

274.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,566 CA$3,589

$2,149 MX$37.1K

19.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,144 CA$3,000

$1,272 MX$21.9K

68.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,483 CA$10.5K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

87.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,676 CA$7,940

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-12.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,237 CA$4,528

$758 MX$13.1K

326.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.51

11.45

-60.61%

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

Last update for Mississauga: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,748 in Mississauga and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mississauga pays 327% 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: $71.0 in Mississauga vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $354 vs $276 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 111% in total monthly costs ($2,665 vs $1,266 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 327% 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: $1,748 in Mississauga versus $1,063 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 $47.00 versus $71.0 in Mississauga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,665 per month in Mississauga versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 111% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,665 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 111% less than in Mississauga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.