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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,063 per month in Montreal vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,159 per month in Montreal vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,255 per month in Montreal vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montreal costs about 59% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montreal sits 54% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.14

$11.73 MX$203

35.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$102

$41.62 MX$719

75.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.50

$10.64 MX$184

4.79%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.52 MX$60.8

7.95%

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

$2.18 CA$3.03

$1.51 MX$26.09

44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$0.97 MX$16.82

50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.51

$2.95 MX$51.0

107.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.42

$4.45 MX$77.0

52.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.24

$1.38 MX$23.90

68.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.72

$1.89 MX$32.69

79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.19

$1.64 MX$28.29

127.44%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.70

$2.51 MX$43.30

34.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.60

$8.34 MX$144

94.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$16.05

$8.34 MX$144

38.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.19

$10.73 MX$185

42.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.60 MX$45.00

43.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.46 MX$25.18

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.71

$1.90 MX$32.84

116.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.05

$2.08 MX$35.88

109.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.78 MX$30.68

52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.19 MX$37.76

19.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$1.04 MX$17.97

116.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$1.08 MX$18.60

60.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.51

$4.08 MX$70.5

226.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$15.00

$10.32 MX$178

4.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.19

$1.71 MX$29.59

76.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.82

$2.58 MX$44.50

34.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.81

$0.51 MX$8.81

437.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$26.46 MX$457

174.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.05

$3.26 MX$56.4

11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$2.49 MX$43.05

-41.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.50

$3.25 MX$56.1

928.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.31 MX$22.59

-7.63%

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

$24.6K CA$34.3K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-18.60%

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

$21.7K CA$30.2K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-7.45%

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

$76.0 CA$106

$82.9 MX$1,432

-8.27%

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

$35.72 CA$49.68

$22.22 MX$384

60.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.6

$29.34 MX$507

46.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.7

$51.6 MX$892

-16.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.97

$18.32 MX$317

-5.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.42

$5.07 MX$87.5

118.74%

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

$620 CA$862

$201 MX$3,470

208.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,114

$5,212 MX$90.1K

11.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$36.92 MX$638

69.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.8

$39.79 MX$688

11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$140

$78.5 MX$1,356

28.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$166

$87.1 MX$1,505

36.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,684

$973 MX$16.8K

24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,334

$468 MX$8,082

105.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,831

$1,641 MX$28.4K

24.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,210

$1,221 MX$21.1K

30.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,205

$3,946 MX$68.2K

31.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,470

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-39.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,116

$664 MX$11.5K

345.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.42

-56.13%

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

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,211 in Montreal versus $973 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 346% higher in Montreal, 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 $73.0 in Montreal versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $249 – 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

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

Montreal costs about 59% 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 $3,094 per month in Montreal and $1,945 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.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Montreal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Montreal and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Montreal at $2,063. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreal it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $2,063 in Montreal. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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