Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Pickering, ON and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,593 per month in Pickering, ON vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,624 per month in Pickering, ON vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,655 per month in Pickering, ON vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Pickering, ON costs about 105% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Pickering, ON sits 90% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.21 CA$19.88

$11.60 MX$200

22.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.7 CA$79.3

$47.11 MX$812

20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 CA$14.90

$11.88 MX$205

-10.35%

Cappuccino

$2.06 CA$2.89

$3.98 MX$68.6

-48.24%

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

$1.79 CA$2.51

$1.43 MX$24.60

25.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$0.82 MX$14.22

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.67 CA$6.53

$3.19 MX$55.0

46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 CA$6.71

$6.79 MX$117

-29.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$3.01

$1.68 MX$28.89

27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CA$2.98

$2.20 MX$37.88

-3.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 CA$6.41

$1.71 MX$29.45

167.84%

Eggs

$3.65 CA$5.11

$2.74 MX$47.26

33.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.50 CA$13.29

$9.58 MX$165

-0.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.15 CA$15.60

$9.01 MX$155

23.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 CA$19.52

$12.81 MX$221

8.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 CA$4.21

$2.89 MX$49.81

4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 CA$0.78

$1.50 MX$25.81

-62.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.47

$2.15 MX$37.03

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 CA$2.93

$2.26 MX$38.96

-7.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CA$2.94

$1.98 MX$34.15

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$1.99 MX$34.30

31.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$1.23 MX$21.28

116.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CA$1.79

$1.20 MX$20.63

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.87 CA$19.40

$4.55 MX$78.5

204.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.00 CA$18.18

$10.37 MX$179

25.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.48

$1.62 MX$27.91

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 CA$3.31

$2.88 MX$49.67

-17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.77

$0.60 MX$10.35

350.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$163 CA$229

$28.80 MX$497

467.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 CA$4.09

$5.39 MX$92.9

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 CA$3.17

$3.73 MX$64.3

-39.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 CA$31.32

$5.77 MX$99.5

288.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CA$1.64

$1.54 MX$26.48

-24.03%

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

$25.4K CA$35.6K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

12.84%

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

$20.9K CA$29.3K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-19.68%

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

$106 CA$148

$91.4 MX$1,576

15.81%

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

$31.91 CA$44.64

$25.20 MX$435

26.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.0 CA$74.1

$31.24 MX$539

69.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 CA$85.1

$67.2 MX$1,159

-9.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.03 CA$37.81

$29.11 MX$502

-7.15%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 CA$15.91

$4.86 MX$83.8

133.95%

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

$507 CA$709

$224 MX$3,856

126.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K CA$39.5K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

568.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 CA$105

$47.10 MX$812

58.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 CA$73.5

$44.29 MX$764

18.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 CA$115

$80.1 MX$1,381

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 CA$109

$92.7 MX$1,598

-15.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,635 CA$2,287

$1,063 MX$18.3K

53.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 CA$2,127

$390 MX$6,728

289.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 CA$3,534

$2,149 MX$37.1K

17.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,222 CA$3,108

$1,272 MX$21.9K

74.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,335 CA$6,064

$4,001 MX$69.0K

8.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,980 CA$5,567

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-38.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,033 CA$4,244

$758 MX$13.1K

300.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

11.45

-63.14%

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

Last update for Pickering, ON: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,635 in Pickering, ON versus $1,063 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 300% higher in Pickering, ON, 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 $57.0 in Pickering, ON versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $276 – 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

Pickering, ON vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,593 in Pickering, ON, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 105% apart. Pickering, ON costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,889 per month in Pickering, ON and $1,899 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 $2,593 in Pickering, ON and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 467% 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 $1,266, than in Pickering, ON at $2,593. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pickering, ON 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $2,593 in Pickering, ON. 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, Pickering, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.