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: $2,150 in Owen Sound versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,207 in Owen Sound versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,263 in Owen Sound versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Owen Sound is roughly 65% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Owen Sound is 56% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.74 CA$20.44

$11.96 MX$203

23.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.18 CA$66.8

$47.38 MX$804

1.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 CA$13.40

$11.75 MX$199

-17.79%

Cappuccino

$3.65 CA$5.06

$4.12 MX$70.0

-11.41%

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

$2.03 CA$2.81

$1.40 MX$23.74

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.32

$0.91 MX$15.48

83.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.46 CA$6.18

$3.21 MX$54.4

38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$7.96

$7.07 MX$120

-18.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$1.68 MX$28.44

49.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 CA$3.92

$2.15 MX$36.48

31.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$1.77 MX$30.10

95.48%

Eggs

$4.46 CA$6.19

$2.82 MX$47.76

58.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.70 CA$13.45

$9.20 MX$156

5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.37 CA$22.71

$9.23 MX$157

77.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.09 CA$33.42

$12.64 MX$214

90.59%

Apples (1kg)

$7.24 CA$10.04

$2.95 MX$50.1

145.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.58 MX$26.79

18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.03

$2.22 MX$37.70

63.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.23

$2.36 MX$40.09

29.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.56

$1.99 MX$33.81

28.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 CA$4.61

$1.98 MX$33.58

68.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$1.24 MX$21.04

83.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.21 MX$20.55

11.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.70 CA$19.00

$4.60 MX$78.1

197.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.42 CA$22.78

$10.52 MX$178

56.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.52 CA$6.26

$1.69 MX$28.70

167.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 CA$7.11

$2.77 MX$47.06

85.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.10

$0.60 MX$10.22

271.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.3

$29.70 MX$504

111.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 CA$6.56

$5.24 MX$88.8

-9.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.76 CA$35.73

$5.78 MX$98.1

345.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.48

$1.54 MX$26.09

-31.17%

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

$27.4K CA$38.0K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

20.22%

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

$19.2K CA$26.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-25.53%

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

$99.8 CA$138

$90.7 MX$1,538

10.11%

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

$30.17 CA$41.85

$25.19 MX$427

19.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.28 CA$68.4

$31.75 MX$539

55.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 CA$158

$68.8 MX$1,167

65.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.35 CA$57.3

$29.37 MX$498

40.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 CA$10.96

$4.86 MX$82.5

62.55%

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

$485 CA$672

$226 MX$3,828

114.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,169 CA$9,942

$4,194 MX$71.1K

70.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.54 CA$50.7

$47.38 MX$804

-22.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.09 CA$38.96

$43.45 MX$737

-35.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 CA$125

$80.2 MX$1,361

12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 CA$150

$91.4 MX$1,550

18.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 CA$1,859

$1,086 MX$18.4K

23.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 CA$1,283

$409 MX$6,933

126.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 CA$3,125

$1,972 MX$33.5K

14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,613 CA$2,237

$1,281 MX$21.7K

25.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,039 CA$4,215

$773 MX$13.1K

292.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

11.45

-52.93%

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

Last update for Owen Sound: September 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,341 in Owen Sound and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Owen Sound pays 293% 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: $48.00 in Owen Sound vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $451 vs $278 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, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 293% 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: $1,341 in Owen Sound versus $1,086 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 $47.00 versus $48.00 in Owen Sound. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,150 per month in Owen Sound versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,150 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 65% less than in Owen Sound. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.