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: $2,780 in Mississauga versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,929 in Mississauga versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,079 in Mississauga versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mississauga is roughly 114% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mississauga is 107% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 CA$25.80

$11.73 MX$203

58.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 CA$113

$41.62 MX$720

95.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 CA$15.04

$10.64 MX$184

2.07%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.56

$3.52 MX$60.9

13.92%

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

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.51 MX$26.12

13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.08

$0.97 MX$16.84

55.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.00 CA$8.30

$2.95 MX$51.0

103.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.00 CA$8.31

$4.45 MX$77.0

34.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.23

$1.38 MX$23.93

68.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$1.89 MX$32.72

31.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.64 MX$28.32

65.24%

Eggs

$3.88 CA$5.37

$2.51 MX$43.34

54.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.72 CA$18.99

$8.34 MX$144

64.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.52 CA$15.96

$8.34 MX$144

38.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.85 CA$20.56

$10.73 MX$186

38.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.84

$2.60 MX$45.04

34.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 CA$1.72

$1.46 MX$25.20

-15.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 CA$4.05

$1.90 MX$32.87

53.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 CA$4.90

$2.08 MX$35.91

70.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 CA$2.30

$1.78 MX$30.71

-6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 CA$3.47

$2.19 MX$37.80

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$1.04 MX$17.99

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$1.08 MX$18.62

50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.16 CA$16.84

$4.08 MX$70.6

198.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 CA$17.94

$10.32 MX$178

25.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$1.71 MX$29.61

49.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.58 MX$44.54

-0.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$0.51 MX$8.81

490.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.3 CA$133

$26.46 MX$458

264.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.36

$3.26 MX$56.4

-3.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$2.49 MX$43.09

-51.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.14 CA$30.66

$3.25 MX$56.2

581.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.03%

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

$25.5K CA$35.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-15.93%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-11.65%

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

$179 CA$247

$82.9 MX$1,433

115.68%

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

$41.99 CA$58.1

$22.22 MX$384

88.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.9 CA$74.6

$29.34 MX$507

83.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.28 CA$61.3

$51.6 MX$893

-14.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.71 CA$32.82

$18.32 MX$317

29.42%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 CA$19.14

$5.07 MX$87.6

172.78%

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

$430 CA$595

$201 MX$3,473

114.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K CA$15.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

108.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.23 CA$65.4

$36.92 MX$639

27.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.12 CA$61.1

$39.79 MX$688

10.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 CA$119

$78.5 MX$1,357

9.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$144

$87.1 MX$1,506

19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 CA$2,617

$973 MX$16.8K

94.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CA$2,199

$468 MX$8,090

239.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,718 CA$3,763

$1,641 MX$28.4K

65.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,389 CA$3,308

$1,221 MX$21.1K

95.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,904 CA$10.9K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

100.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,306 CA$8,731

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-2.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,091 CA$4,280

$664 MX$11.5K

365.59%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,890 in Mississauga and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mississauga pays 366% 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 $353 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 114% in total monthly costs ($2,780 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mississauga pays 366% more on average, 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: $1,890 in Mississauga versus $973 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 $2,780 per month in Mississauga versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,780 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 114% less than in Mississauga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.