Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Owen Sound Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Owen Sound

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,150 in Owen Sound.

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

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

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 39% less than in Owen Sound, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$14.74 CA$20.44

-18.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$48.18 CA$66.8

-1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$9.66 CA$13.40

21.64%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.65 CA$5.06

12.88%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.03 CA$2.81

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.67 CA$2.32

-45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.46 CA$6.18

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$5.74 CA$7.96

23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.51 CA$3.49

-33.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.83 CA$3.92

-24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.46 CA$4.80

-48.84%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.46 CA$6.19

-36.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.70 CA$13.45

-5.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$16.37 CA$22.71

-43.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$24.09 CA$33.42

-47.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$7.24 CA$10.04

-59.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.88 CA$2.60

-15.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.62 CA$5.03

-38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.05 CA$4.23

-22.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.56 CA$3.56

-22.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$3.33 CA$4.61

-40.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.27 CA$3.15

-45.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.35 CA$1.87

-10.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$13.70 CA$19.00

-66.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$16.42 CA$22.78

-35.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$4.52 CA$6.26

-62.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$5.13 CA$7.11

-46.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.23 CA$3.10

-73.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$62.9 CA$87.3

-52.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.73 CA$6.56

10.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$25.76 CA$35.73

-77.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.06 CA$1.48

45.28%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$27.4K CA$38.0K

-16.82%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.2K CA$26.7K

34.29%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$99.8 CA$138

-9.18%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$30.17 CA$41.85

-16.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$49.28 CA$68.4

-35.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$114 CA$158

-39.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$41.35 CA$57.3

-28.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.90 CA$10.96

-38.48%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$485 CA$672

-53.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,169 CA$9,942

-41.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$36.54 CA$50.7

29.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$28.09 CA$38.96

54.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$89.9 CA$125

-10.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$108 CA$150

-15.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,341 CA$1,859

-19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$925 CA$1,283

-55.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,253 CA$3,125

-12.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,613 CA$2,237

-20.55%

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)

$773 MX$13.1K

$3,039 CA$4,215

-74.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.39

112.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Owen Sound: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $1,341 in Owen Sound. 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $48.00 in Owen Sound for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $451 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 Owen Sound: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 293% lower in Owen Sound. 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,341 in Owen Sound. 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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,150 in Owen Sound – 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, Playa del Carmen and Owen Sound 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.