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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,599 in Oshawa versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,728 in Oshawa versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,858 in Oshawa versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Oshawa is roughly 106% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Oshawa is 95% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.23 CA$25.59

$11.72 MX$204

55.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$105

$41.89 MX$731

77.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 CA$14.41

$10.51 MX$183

-2.38%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.35

$3.59 MX$62.5

6.41%

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

$1.97 CA$2.77

$1.51 MX$26.31

30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CA$2.26

$0.92 MX$15.96

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 CA$7.39

$2.96 MX$51.6

78.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 CA$8.53

$4.41 MX$76.9

37.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 CA$3.76

$1.40 MX$24.35

91.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$1.88 MX$32.87

45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.26

$1.56 MX$27.19

140.38%

Eggs

$3.55 CA$4.99

$2.61 MX$45.50

36.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.08 CA$16.95

$8.32 MX$145

45.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 CA$15.67

$8.35 MX$146

33.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 CA$22.48

$10.86 MX$189

47.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 CA$4.85

$2.71 MX$47.31

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CA$1.69

$1.51 MX$26.25

-19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.52

$1.87 MX$32.67

110.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$7.00

$2.19 MX$38.19

127.85%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.68

$1.86 MX$32.40

155.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.23 MX$38.90

49.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$1.07 MX$18.63

171.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.86

$1.09 MX$18.94

22.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.76

$4.19 MX$73.0

252.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 CA$17.65

$10.43 MX$182

20.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.45

$1.66 MX$28.91

90.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$2.61 MX$45.56

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.80

$0.54 MX$9.45

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.5 CA$123

$26.16 MX$456

234.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$3.08 MX$53.7

16.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 CA$2.94

$2.40 MX$41.94

-12.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.74 CA$30.51

$3.13 MX$54.5

594.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.31 MX$22.87

-12.98%

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

$24.6K CA$34.6K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-17.30%

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

$20.5K CA$28.7K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-12.23%

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

$233 CA$327

$81.3 MX$1,418

186.81%

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

$58.8 CA$82.5

$22.56 MX$393

160.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 CA$105

$30.05 MX$524

148.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.59 CA$58.4

$52.9 MX$923

-21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.70 CA$51.5

$18.39 MX$321

99.56%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$17.38

$4.92 MX$85.8

151.63%

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

$1,305 CA$1,832

$201 MX$3,502

549.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

131.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$85.0

$35.92 MX$627

68.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 CA$83.0

$40.13 MX$700

47.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 CA$165

$79.7 MX$1,390

47.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CA$221

$86.5 MX$1,508

82.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,786

$978 MX$17.1K

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 CA$1,667

$470 MX$8,206

152.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,015 CA$2,829

$1,651 MX$28.8K

22.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 CA$2,652

$1,203 MX$21.0K

56.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,145 CA$7,222

$3,953 MX$69.0K

30.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.4K CA$14.6K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

56.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,207

$677 MX$11.8K

342.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.42

-45.62%

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

Last update for Oshawa: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Oshawa and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oshawa pays 343% 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: $74.0 in Oshawa vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $252 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 106% lower than in Oshawa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 343% higher in Oshawa, 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: $1,272 in Oshawa versus $978 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 $74.0 in Oshawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,599 per month in Oshawa versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,599 in Oshawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oshawa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Oshawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.