Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oshawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Oshawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,557 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,795 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,032 in Oshawa.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Oshawa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 4% below, Oshawa is 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$18.21 CA$24.95

-34.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$72.8 CA$99.7

-41.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$10.45 CA$14.32

1.34%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.83 CA$5.24

-5.48%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.88 CA$2.57

-21.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.55 CA$2.13

-39.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.29 CA$7.24

-41.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.14 CA$8.41

-27.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.68 CA$3.67

-46.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.59 CA$3.55

-27.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$3.66 CA$5.01

-55.46%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.40 CA$4.66

-22.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.26 CA$16.79

-33.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$11.44 CA$15.67

-27.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$16.29 CA$22.31

-31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.59 CA$4.92

-26.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.16 CA$1.59

29.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.86 CA$5.29

-48.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$5.07 CA$6.94

-58.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$4.55 CA$6.23

-60.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$3.30 CA$4.52

-33.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$3.02 CA$4.14

-64.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.34 CA$1.83

-22.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$15.01 CA$20.57

-73.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.89 CA$17.66

-20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.07 CA$4.20

-43.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.00 CA$4.11

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.73 CA$3.74

-80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$87.9 CA$120

-69.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.60 CA$4.93

-12.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.20 CA$3.02

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$22.25 CA$30.48

-86.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.10 CA$1.51

15.45%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

22.83%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.6K CA$28.2K

13.10%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$236 CA$323

-65.20%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$57.9 CA$79.4

-61.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$74.9 CA$103

-60.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$41.84 CA$57.3

23.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$37.03 CA$50.7

-49.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$12.34 CA$16.90

-59.72%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$1,346 CA$1,845

-85.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

-55.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$59.0 CA$80.9

-38.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$57.6 CA$79.0

-30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$117 CA$160

-31.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$158 CA$217

-43.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$1,303 CA$1,785

-26.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$1,186 CA$1,625

-60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,991 CA$2,727

-19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,941 CA$2,659

-37.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$5,248 CA$7,189

-24.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$10.6K CA$14.5K

-39.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$3,106 CA$4,255

-76.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.21

83.90%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,303 in Oshawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Oshawa pays 331% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $73.0 in Oshawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $385 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 Oshawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Oshawa. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Oshawa earns 331% 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,303 in Oshawa. 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 $43.00 versus $73.0 in Oshawa. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,557 in Oshawa – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,557 in Oshawa, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Oshawa. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,287 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Oshawa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.