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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,310 in Saguenay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,332 in Saguenay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,353 in Saguenay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Saguenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Saguenay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Saguenay 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.18 CA$18.34

-11.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$43.32 CA$60.3

-3.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.90 CA$15.16

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.76 CA$5.23

-6.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.59 CA$2.21

-5.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.27 CA$1.76

-23.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.49 CA$7.63

-46.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.00 CA$6.96

-11.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.18 CA$3.04

-36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$2.89 CA$4.02

-34.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$4.46 CA$6.20

-63.23%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.62 CA$3.65

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$12.89 CA$17.93

-35.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.94 CA$12.43

-6.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$13.89 CA$19.32

-22.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$4.02 CA$5.60

-35.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.33 CA$1.85

9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$4.12 CA$5.73

-53.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$3.95 CA$5.49

-47.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.94 CA$2.70

-8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.59 CA$2.21

37.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$2.64 CA$3.67

-60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.88 CA$1.23

22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$12.23 CA$17.01

-66.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$11.77 CA$16.36

-12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$3.04 CA$4.22

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.03 CA$2.83

27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$2.70 CA$3.75

-81.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$55.3 CA$76.9

-52.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.76 CA$5.23

-13.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$2.03 CA$2.82

22.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$30.36 CA$42.22

-89.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.16 CA$1.62

12.93%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

21.27%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$20.2K CA$28.1K

15.80%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$87.2 CA$121

-4.95%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.92 CA$52.7

-41.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$44.61 CA$62.0

-34.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$32.58 CA$45.31

58.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.82 CA$19.22

32.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$9.75 CA$13.56

-48.00%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$599 CA$832

-66.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,200 CA$8,623

-15.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$61.5 CA$85.5

-39.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$52.4 CA$72.9

-24.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$95.9 CA$133

-18.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$126 CA$175

-30.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$609 CA$847

59.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$300 CA$418

55.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,315 CA$1,829

24.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,081 CA$1,504

12.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$5,913 CA$8,223

-33.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$3,562 CA$4,954

82.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,634 CA$3,663

-74.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.87

66.23%

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 Saguenay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $609 in Saguenay. 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 297% higher in Saguenay, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $43.00 in Saguenay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $341 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Saguenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saguenay is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,965 in Saguenay. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,310 in Saguenay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 109% 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 $1,297, than in Saguenay at $1,310. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saguenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saguenay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.