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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,332 per month in Saguenay vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,353 per month in Saguenay vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Saguenay vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saguenay costs about 6% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saguenay sits 0% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.01 CA$18.31

$11.99 MX$209

8.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.95 CA$63.3

$41.78 MX$728

7.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 CA$15.79

$10.75 MX$187

4.37%

Cappuccino

$3.91 CA$5.50

$3.50 MX$60.9

11.71%

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

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.45 MX$25.22

4.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.79

$0.88 MX$15.41

44.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 CA$7.86

$2.95 MX$51.3

89.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 CA$7.16

$4.51 MX$78.6

12.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.07

$1.43 MX$24.94

52.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.19

$1.84 MX$31.99

61.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.27

$1.57 MX$27.31

183.44%

Eggs

$2.60 CA$3.66

$2.51 MX$43.74

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 CA$18.02

$8.28 MX$144

54.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.59 CA$12.08

$8.43 MX$147

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 CA$19.32

$10.68 MX$186

28.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.61

$2.61 MX$45.43

52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 CA$1.76

$1.44 MX$25.04

-13.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.56

$1.96 MX$34.16

101.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.57

$2.09 MX$36.47

89.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$1.85 MX$32.24

5.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$2.17 MX$37.74

-26.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.64

$1.03 MX$17.96

151.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 CA$1.16

$1.07 MX$18.70

-23.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 CA$16.77

$4.10 MX$71.4

190.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.24 CA$15.82

$10.17 MX$177

10.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$1.68 MX$29.17

82.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.81

$2.53 MX$43.98

-20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.97

$0.51 MX$8.87

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 CA$79.9

$26.04 MX$453

117.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.15

$3.23 MX$56.3

13.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 CA$2.75

$2.41 MX$41.88

-19.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.28 CA$44.02

$3.23 MX$56.2

868.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.62

$1.32 MX$23.00

-12.88%

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

$25.0K CA$35.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-15.66%

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

$20.3K CA$28.6K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-14.18%

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

$87.2 CA$123

$82.0 MX$1,428

6.34%

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

$38.88 CA$54.7

$22.95 MX$400

69.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.25 CA$60.9

$30.11 MX$524

43.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.57 CA$47.24

$52.0 MX$905

-35.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 CA$19.85

$18.53 MX$323

-23.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 CA$13.70

$4.98 MX$86.6

95.58%

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

$613 CA$863

$197 MX$3,438

210.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,342 CA$8,923

$5,336 MX$92.9K

18.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 CA$84.6

$35.60 MX$620

68.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 CA$74.8

$40.33 MX$702

31.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 CA$135

$78.8 MX$1,371

22.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 CA$180

$88.9 MX$1,549

43.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 CA$862

$947 MX$16.5K

-35.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 CA$422

$474 MX$8,254

-36.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 CA$1,827

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-21.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,065 CA$1,498

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-12.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,707 CA$8,031

$4,056 MX$70.6K

40.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,425 CA$4,820

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-47.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,588 CA$3,642

$654 MX$11.4K

295.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

11.42

-39.84%

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

Last update for Saguenay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Saguenay versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. 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 296% 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 $45.00 in Saguenay versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $337 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Saguenay is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,998 per month in Saguenay and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,332 in Saguenay and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% 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 $1,256, than in Saguenay at $1,332. 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.