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 $2,085 per month in Montreal vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,174 per month in Montreal vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,262 per month in Montreal vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montreal costs about 66% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montreal sits 56% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$11.99 MX$209

37.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$41.78 MX$728

77.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$10.75 MX$187

1.77%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$3.50 MX$60.9

9.71%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$1.45 MX$25.22

47.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$0.88 MX$15.41

64.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$2.95 MX$51.3

107.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$4.51 MX$78.6

49.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$1.43 MX$24.94

64.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$1.84 MX$31.99

81.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$1.57 MX$27.31

138.22%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$2.51 MX$43.74

35.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$8.28 MX$144

96.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$8.43 MX$147

40.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$10.68 MX$186

46.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$2.61 MX$45.43

41.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$1.44 MX$25.04

18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$1.96 MX$34.16

109.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$2.09 MX$36.47

111.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$1.85 MX$32.24

50.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$2.17 MX$37.74

21.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$1.03 MX$17.96

122.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.07 MX$18.70

66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$4.10 MX$71.4

221.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$10.17 MX$177

4.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$1.68 MX$29.17

77.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.53 MX$43.98

35.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$0.51 MX$8.87

450.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$26.04 MX$453

179.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.23 MX$56.3

8.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$2.41 MX$41.88

-39.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$3.23 MX$56.2

961.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.32 MX$23.00

-7.58%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-14.96%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-6.45%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$82.0 MX$1,428

-6.72%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$22.95 MX$400

55.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$30.11 MX$524

42.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$52.0 MX$905

-16.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$18.53 MX$323

-9.17%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$4.98 MX$86.6

122.69%

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

$625 CA$879

$197 MX$3,438

216.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$5,336 MX$92.9K

10.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$35.60 MX$620

77.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$40.33 MX$702

10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$78.8 MX$1,371

30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$88.9 MX$1,549

32.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$947 MX$16.5K

27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$474 MX$8,254

103.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$1,644 MX$28.6K

23.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,211 MX$21.1K

30.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$4,056 MX$70.6K

25.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-41.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$654 MX$11.4K

341.92%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,207 in Montreal versus $947 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 342% 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 $74.0 in Montreal versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 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 66% 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 $3,127 per month in Montreal and $1,884 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 59% 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 $74.0 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 $1,256, than in Montreal at $2,085. 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 $1,256 versus $2,085 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.