Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort Saskatchewan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Fort Saskatchewan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,364 in Fort Saskatchewan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,522 in Fort Saskatchewan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,681 in Fort Saskatchewan.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 45% less than in Fort Saskatchewan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Fort Saskatchewan is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$17.01 CA$23.63

-31.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$70.0 CA$97.3

-40.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.86 CA$15.09

-2.03%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.97 CA$5.52

-11.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.24 CA$4.50

-53.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$2.56 CA$3.56

-62.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$8.33 CA$11.57

-64.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$9.32 CA$12.95

-52.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.75 CA$3.82

-49.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$3.39 CA$4.70

-44.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$3.66 CA$5.09

-55.19%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.62 CA$5.02

-30.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$15.31 CA$21.27

-45.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.22 CA$19.75

-41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$21.10 CA$29.31

-49.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.53 CA$4.91

-26.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.96 CA$2.72

-25.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.66 CA$5.08

-48.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.78 CA$5.26

-44.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.42 CA$3.36

-26.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.50 CA$3.48

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.55 CA$3.55

-59.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.79 CA$2.49

-39.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$16.62 CA$23.10

-75.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.62 CA$17.54

-18.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.90 CA$4.04

-41.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.16 CA$4.39

-18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$2.42 CA$3.36

-78.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$62.7 CA$87.1

-57.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.24 CA$4.50

0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.45 CA$2.01

71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$25.48 CA$35.41

-87.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.03 CA$1.43

27.18%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$24.8K CA$34.4K

22.26%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

13.36%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$124 CA$172

-32.93%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$44.00 CA$61.1

-49.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$62.7 CA$87.1

-53.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$42.41 CA$58.9

21.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$18.74 CA$26.04

-2.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$9.77 CA$13.57

-48.11%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$742 CA$1,031

-72.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$12.0K CA$16.7K

-56.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$67.5 CA$93.7

-45.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$38.93 CA$54.1

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$87.2 CA$121

-10.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$105 CA$146

-17.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,328 CA$1,845

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$1,156 CA$1,606

-59.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,033 CA$2,824

-19.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,827 CA$2,538

-33.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$3,941 CA$5,475

0.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$3,913 CA$5,437

66.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,204 CA$4,452

-79.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.18

59.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Fort Saskatchewan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,328 in Fort Saskatchewan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Saskatchewan pays 383% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $70.0 in Fort Saskatchewan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $424 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 Saskatchewan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Fort Saskatchewan differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $2,364 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Fort Saskatchewan earns 383% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,328 in Fort Saskatchewan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $742 in Fort Saskatchewan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Fort Saskatchewan. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,364 in Fort Saskatchewan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Fort Saskatchewan. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Fort Saskatchewan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.