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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,463 per month in Ottawa vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,588 per month in Ottawa vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,713 per month in Ottawa vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ottawa costs about 96% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ottawa sits 84% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 CA$26.19

$11.99 MX$209

55.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 CA$104

$41.78 MX$728

77.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$10.75 MX$187

6.79%

Cappuccino

$4.01 CA$5.64

$3.50 MX$60.9

14.57%

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

$2.16 CA$3.04

$1.45 MX$25.22

48.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.32

$0.88 MX$15.41

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.32

$2.95 MX$51.3

100.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.26

$4.51 MX$78.6

45.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.37

$1.43 MX$24.94

67.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.90

$1.84 MX$31.99

50.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 CA$4.65

$1.57 MX$27.31

110.19%

Eggs

$3.67 CA$5.17

$2.51 MX$43.74

46.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 CA$16.00

$8.28 MX$144

37.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.14 CA$18.50

$8.43 MX$147

55.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$22.03

$10.68 MX$186

46.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.39 CA$6.17

$2.61 MX$45.43

68.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.91

$1.44 MX$25.04

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 CA$4.92

$1.96 MX$34.16

78.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.18

$2.09 MX$36.47

76.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.63

$1.85 MX$32.24

39.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.46

$2.17 MX$37.74

46.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.19

$1.03 MX$17.96

120.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 CA$2.11

$1.07 MX$18.70

40.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.92 CA$19.58

$4.10 MX$71.4

239.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 CA$15.06

$10.17 MX$177

5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$1.68 MX$29.17

42.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.53 MX$43.98

22.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 CA$4.20

$0.51 MX$8.87

484.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.1 CA$139

$26.04 MX$453

280.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 CA$3.96

$3.23 MX$56.3

-13.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$2.41 MX$41.88

-39.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.69 CA$27.71

$3.23 MX$56.2

509.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.63

$1.32 MX$23.00

-12.12%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-15.69%

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

$22.3K CA$31.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-5.63%

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

$158 CA$222

$82.0 MX$1,428

92.71%

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

$43.32 CA$61.0

$22.95 MX$400

88.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.3 CA$73.6

$30.11 MX$524

73.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.95 CA$67.5

$52.0 MX$905

-7.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.06 CA$22.60

$18.53 MX$323

-13.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.78

$4.98 MX$86.6

125.10%

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

$891 CA$1,253

$197 MX$3,438

351.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K CA$22.4K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

198.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$77.4

$35.60 MX$620

54.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 CA$57.7

$40.33 MX$702

1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 CA$127

$78.8 MX$1,371

15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 CA$134

$88.9 MX$1,549

7.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 CA$2,084

$947 MX$16.5K

56.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 CA$1,771

$474 MX$8,254

165.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 CA$3,272

$1,644 MX$28.6K

41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,936 CA$2,725

$1,211 MX$21.1K

59.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 CA$6,249

$4,056 MX$70.6K

9.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,678 CA$6,583

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-27.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,546 CA$4,990

$654 MX$11.4K

442.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

11.42

-52.01%

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

Last update for Ottawa: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,481 in Ottawa 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 442% higher in Ottawa, 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 Ottawa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,463 in Ottawa, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 96% apart. Ottawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,694 per month in Ottawa 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,463 in Ottawa and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 281% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Ottawa at $2,463. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $2,463 in Ottawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Ottawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.