Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort Frances, Ontario Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort Frances, Ontario

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,224 in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,235 in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,246 in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 42% less than in Fort Frances, Ontario, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Fort Frances, Ontario is 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$18.37 CA$25.42

-36.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$67.1 CA$92.8

-30.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$10.44 CA$14.45

11.59%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$3.57 CA$4.94

14.57%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$2.07 CA$2.86

-33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$1.71 CA$2.37

-51.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$5.65 CA$7.82

-40.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$5.40 CA$7.47

27.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$2.04 CA$2.83

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$2.66 CA$3.69

-15.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$3.84 CA$5.31

-53.91%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$3.98 CA$5.50

-31.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.91 CA$15.10

-15.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$10.13 CA$14.02

-11.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$14.49 CA$20.05

-13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$3.76 CA$5.21

-19.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.49 CA$2.06

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$3.69 CA$5.10

-42.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$3.40 CA$4.71

-33.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$2.51 CA$3.47

-20.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$2.39 CA$3.30

-13.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$2.21 CA$3.06

-46.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.82 CA$2.52

-34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$14.36 CA$19.87

-67.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$13.96 CA$19.31

-23.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$2.42 CA$3.35

-33.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$2.78 CA$3.84

3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$2.31 CA$3.20

-75.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$66.9 CA$92.5

-55.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$2.57 CA$3.55

112.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$1.60 CA$2.21

131.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$25.18 CA$34.85

-76.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.07 CA$1.47

44.86%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$29.2K CA$40.4K

-23.45%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$18.8K CA$25.9K

38.38%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$105 CA$145

-15.00%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$39.73 CA$55.0

-36.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$50.6 CA$70.1

-37.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$36.56 CA$50.6

85.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$20.07 CA$27.77

44.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$10.00 CA$13.84

-49.50%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$670 CA$927

-66.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$15.0K CA$20.7K

-71.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$54.4 CA$75.3

-12.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$34.67 CA$47.97

29.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$82.3 CA$114

-0.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$117 CA$162

-21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$1,281 CA$1,772

-16.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$1,003 CA$1,387

-59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,995 CA$2,760

-2.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,740 CA$2,408

-25.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$3,700 CA$5,120

7.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$3,388 CA$4,688

95.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$3,605 CA$4,989

-79.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.68

144.66%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Fort Frances, Ontario: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,281 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Frances, Ontario pays 382% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $67.0 in Fort Frances, Ontario for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $353 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

Playa del Carmen vs Fort Frances, Ontario: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 382% lower in Fort Frances, Ontario. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,281 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $670 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Fort Frances, Ontario. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,224 in Fort Frances, Ontario, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort Frances, Ontario. 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 Fort Frances, Ontario, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Fort Frances, Ontario. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.