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 $1,320 per month in Saguenay vs $1,262 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,369 per month in Saguenay vs $2,158 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,418 per month in Saguenay vs $3,054 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saguenay costs about 5% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Saguenay and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saguenay 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.38 CA$18.34

$11.61 MX$201

15.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 CA$61.5

$42.75 MX$742

4.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.25

$10.60 MX$184

5.00%

Cappuccino

$3.78 CA$5.18

$3.59 MX$62.3

5.29%

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

$1.52 CA$2.08

$1.45 MX$25.21

4.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$0.90 MX$15.58

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.39 CA$7.39

$3.03 MX$52.6

77.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 CA$7.25

$4.56 MX$79.2

16.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CA$2.97

$1.45 MX$25.20

49.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 CA$4.08

$1.83 MX$31.72

62.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.09

$1.61 MX$27.92

176.40%

Eggs

$2.53 CA$3.47

$2.54 MX$44.05

-0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 CA$17.50

$8.54 MX$148

49.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 CA$12.19

$8.47 MX$147

4.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 CA$18.99

$10.86 MX$189

27.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.15 CA$5.68

$2.73 MX$47.37

52.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 CA$1.81

$1.49 MX$25.91

-11.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 CA$5.66

$1.94 MX$33.73

112.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.10 CA$5.61

$2.16 MX$37.57

89.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 CA$2.53

$1.85 MX$32.05

-0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 CA$2.26

$2.19 MX$38.00

-24.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.58

$1.07 MX$18.62

143.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 CA$1.15

$1.08 MX$18.81

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.16 CA$16.66

$4.06 MX$70.5

199.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 CA$15.13

$10.46 MX$182

5.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 CA$4.23

$1.65 MX$28.71

87.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CA$2.71

$2.55 MX$44.23

-22.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 CA$3.72

$0.56 MX$9.65

383.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 CA$76.8

$26.20 MX$455

114.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 CA$4.99

$3.14 MX$54.5

15.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 CA$2.78

$2.37 MX$41.17

-14.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.86 CA$42.28

$3.24 MX$56.2

852.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.59

$1.31 MX$22.81

-11.45%

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

$25.2K CA$34.5K

$30.5K MX$530.2K

-17.58%

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

$20.5K CA$28.1K

$23.8K MX$413.6K

-13.95%

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

$86.1 CA$118

$83.1 MX$1,443

3.56%

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

$38.78 CA$53.1

$22.15 MX$385

75.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.45 CA$59.5

$29.37 MX$510

47.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.59 CA$44.65

$51.2 MX$889

-36.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 CA$19.20

$18.69 MX$324

-25.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.55 CA$13.09

$4.89 MX$84.9

95.30%

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

$600 CA$822

$199 MX$3,449

201.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,285 CA$8,611

$5,207 MX$90.4K

20.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 CA$82.9

$35.93 MX$624

68.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 CA$72.2

$39.39 MX$684

33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 CA$133

$80.3 MX$1,394

20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 CA$177

$87.6 MX$1,520

47.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 CA$841

$963 MX$16.7K

-36.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CA$404

$482 MX$8,370

-38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$1,645 MX$28.6K

-20.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,089 CA$1,492

$1,192 MX$20.7K

-8.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,853 CA$8,019

$3,957 MX$68.7K

47.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,609 CA$4,944

$6,513 MX$113.1K

-44.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,650 CA$3,630

$726 MX$12.6K

264.79%

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $614 in Saguenay versus $963 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 265% 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 in Saguenay versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $253 – 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 5%, 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 $1,980 per month in Saguenay and $1,894 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 $1,320 in Saguenay and $1,262 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 114% 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 $1,262, than in Saguenay at $1,320. 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.