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: $2,040 in Owen Sound versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,175 in Owen Sound versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,309 in Owen Sound versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Owen Sound is 53% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.01 CA$21.12

$11.99 MX$209

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.9 CA$78.6

$41.78 MX$728

33.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 CA$14.22

$10.75 MX$187

-5.95%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CA$4.54

$3.50 MX$60.9

-7.71%

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

$2.03 CA$2.86

$1.45 MX$25.22

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.35

$0.88 MX$15.41

89.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 CA$6.17

$2.95 MX$51.3

48.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 CA$8.17

$4.51 MX$78.6

28.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$1.43 MX$24.94

24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$1.84 MX$31.99

58.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 CA$6.33

$1.57 MX$27.31

186.62%

Eggs

$3.40 CA$4.78

$2.51 MX$43.74

35.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 CA$9.61

$8.28 MX$144

-17.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.06 CA$24.01

$8.43 MX$147

102.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.28 CA$29.94

$10.68 MX$186

99.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.72

$2.61 MX$45.43

55.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.55

$1.44 MX$25.04

26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CA$4.09

$1.96 MX$34.16

48.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.82

$2.09 MX$36.47

97.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.53

$1.85 MX$32.24

35.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.30

$2.17 MX$37.74

41.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.09 CA$4.35

$1.03 MX$17.96

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.07 MX$18.70

25.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.53 CA$19.03

$4.10 MX$71.4

230.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 CA$22.84

$10.17 MX$177

59.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 CA$7.13

$1.68 MX$29.17

201.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$2.53 MX$43.98

-8.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 CA$3.13

$0.51 MX$8.87

335.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$71.8

$26.04 MX$453

96.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 CA$6.57

$3.23 MX$56.3

44.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 CA$2.95

$2.41 MX$41.88

-12.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.59 CA$20.53

$3.23 MX$56.2

351.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.60

$1.32 MX$23.00

-14.39%

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

$28.5K CA$40.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-3.90%

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

$22.3K CA$31.4K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-5.66%

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

$142 CA$199

$82.0 MX$1,428

72.59%

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

$42.95 CA$60.4

$22.95 MX$400

87.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$83.0

$30.11 MX$524

95.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.7 CA$118

$52.0 MX$905

61.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 CA$81.6

$18.53 MX$323

212.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 CA$12.79

$4.98 MX$86.6

82.53%

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

$574 CA$807

$197 MX$3,438

190.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K CA$25.6K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

240.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.22 CA$60.8

$35.60 MX$620

21.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.61 CA$57.1

$40.33 MX$702

0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 CA$114

$78.8 MX$1,371

3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$88.9 MX$1,549

23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 CA$1,535

$947 MX$16.5K

15.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 CA$1,227

$474 MX$8,254

84.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 CA$2,361

$1,644 MX$28.6K

2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 CA$2,188

$1,211 MX$21.1K

28.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,949 CA$4,150

$654 MX$11.4K

351.03%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,091 in Owen Sound and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Owen Sound pays 351% 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: $56.0 in Owen Sound vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 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.

Average pay runs 351% higher in Owen Sound, 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: $1,091 in Owen Sound versus $947 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 $56.0 in Owen Sound. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,040 per month in Owen Sound versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,040 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.