Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,095 in Owen Sound versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,157 in Owen Sound versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,218 in Owen Sound versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Owen Sound is roughly 62% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Owen Sound is 56% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 CA$20.56

$11.73 MX$203

26.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 CA$75.7

$41.62 MX$720

31.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 CA$14.09

$10.64 MX$184

-4.42%

Cappuccino

$3.13 CA$4.33

$3.52 MX$60.9

-11.08%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$1.51 MX$26.12

40.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.28

$0.97 MX$16.84

70.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 CA$6.06

$2.95 MX$51.0

48.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 CA$8.09

$4.45 MX$77.0

31.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$1.38 MX$23.93

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$1.89 MX$32.72

51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 CA$6.49

$1.64 MX$28.32

185.98%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.70

$2.51 MX$43.34

35.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 CA$9.45

$8.34 MX$144

-18.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.95 CA$23.47

$8.34 MX$144

103.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.96 CA$29.02

$10.73 MX$186

95.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.71

$2.60 MX$45.04

58.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 CA$2.41

$1.46 MX$25.20

19.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CA$3.95

$1.90 MX$32.87

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 CA$5.71

$2.08 MX$35.91

98.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CA$3.34

$1.78 MX$30.71

35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$2.19 MX$37.80

32.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.05 CA$4.22

$1.04 MX$17.99

193.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$1.08 MX$18.62

24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.49 CA$18.67

$4.08 MX$70.6

230.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.68 CA$23.09

$10.32 MX$178

61.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.01 CA$6.93

$1.71 MX$29.61

192.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.58 MX$44.54

-12.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.10

$0.51 MX$8.81

339.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 CA$69.6

$26.46 MX$458

90.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 CA$6.59

$3.26 MX$56.4

46.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.49 MX$43.09

-12.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 CA$20.36

$3.25 MX$56.2

352.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 CA$1.51

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.79%

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

$28.0K CA$38.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-7.38%

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

$22.4K CA$31.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-4.30%

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

$144 CA$200

$82.9 MX$1,433

74.04%

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

$43.61 CA$60.4

$22.22 MX$384

96.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 CA$82.6

$29.34 MX$507

103.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.7 CA$117

$51.6 MX$893

64.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.6 CA$82.5

$18.32 MX$317

225.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.82 CA$12.21

$5.07 MX$87.6

73.96%

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

$587 CA$813

$201 MX$3,473

192.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

247.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.40 CA$60.1

$36.92 MX$639

17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.02 CA$55.4

$39.79 MX$688

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 CA$111

$78.5 MX$1,357

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 CA$157

$87.1 MX$1,506

30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 CA$1,471

$973 MX$16.8K

9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 CA$1,203

$468 MX$8,090

85.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 CA$2,273

$1,641 MX$28.4K

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 CA$2,206

$1,221 MX$21.1K

30.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,068 CA$4,248

$664 MX$11.5K

362.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

11.42

-40.19%

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

Last update for Owen Sound: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Owen Sound and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Owen Sound pays 362% 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: $55.0 in Owen Sound vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Owen Sound pays 362% 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: $1,062 in Owen Sound 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 $55.0 in Owen Sound. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,095 per month in Owen Sound versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,095 in Owen Sound, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Owen Sound. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Owen Sound, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Owen Sound 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 62% less than in Owen Sound. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.