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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,259 per month in Saskatoon vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,316 per month in Saskatoon vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,373 per month in Saskatoon vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saskatoon costs about 78% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Saskatoon sits 68% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.67 CA$30.26

$11.87 MX$204

82.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.8 CA$121

$42.90 MX$736

102.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 CA$14.20

$10.65 MX$183

-4.51%

Cappuccino

$3.64 CA$5.08

$3.45 MX$59.2

5.51%

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

$2.51 CA$3.50

$1.50 MX$25.81

67.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CA$2.79

$0.95 MX$16.28

110.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$8.00

$3.03 MX$51.9

89.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 CA$9.99

$4.61 MX$79.1

55.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.06 CA$4.27

$1.38 MX$23.61

121.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$1.85 MX$31.70

45.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.32 CA$7.43

$1.61 MX$27.65

230.43%

Eggs

$3.72 CA$5.20

$2.59 MX$44.51

43.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 CA$13.22

$8.26 MX$142

14.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 CA$16.97

$8.37 MX$144

45.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 CA$22.91

$10.66 MX$183

53.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.17

$2.63 MX$45.12

68.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 CA$2.42

$1.49 MX$25.53

16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.90 CA$6.84

$1.92 MX$32.94

155.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 CA$4.54

$2.09 MX$35.81

55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$1.86 MX$31.88

60.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CA$3.10

$2.26 MX$38.81

-1.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$1.06 MX$18.23

156.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.09 MX$18.67

16.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.58 CA$20.36

$4.15 MX$71.2

251.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CA$19.22

$10.39 MX$178

32.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 CA$4.52

$1.72 MX$29.59

88.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CA$4.60

$2.61 MX$44.85

26.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 CA$3.12

$0.54 MX$9.30

312.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 CA$88.2

$26.94 MX$462

134.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 CA$4.90

$3.13 MX$53.7

12.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 CA$1.79

$2.51 MX$43.09

-49.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.66 CA$20.48

$3.15 MX$54.1

365.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.59

$1.27 MX$21.88

-10.24%

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

$25.4K CA$35.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-16.46%

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

$20.2K CA$28.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-14.38%

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

$213 CA$298

$83.0 MX$1,425

156.67%

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

$58.0 CA$81.1

$22.71 MX$390

155.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 CA$101

$29.46 MX$506

146.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.61 CA$58.1

$51.0 MX$875

-18.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 CA$24.29

$18.33 MX$315

-5.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 CA$20.59

$4.93 MX$84.5

199.19%

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

$523 CA$730

$197 MX$3,386

164.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K CA$20.9K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

184.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.5 CA$105

$36.90 MX$633

104.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.6 CA$80.4

$39.89 MX$685

44.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 CA$129

$80.0 MX$1,373

15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$89.5 MX$1,536

28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 CA$1,435

$956 MX$16.4K

7.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 CA$1,205

$477 MX$8,189

80.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,739 CA$2,428

$1,646 MX$28.3K

5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,442 CA$2,014

$1,225 MX$21.0K

17.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,903 CA$4,054

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-25.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,775 CA$3,875

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-57.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,586 CA$3,611

$667 MX$11.4K

287.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

11.42

-41.77%

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

Last update for Saskatoon: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Saskatoon versus $956 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 288% higher in Saskatoon, 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 $87.0 in Saskatoon versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $390 vs $250 – 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

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

Yes – Saskatoon is pricier by about 78%, 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 $3,388 per month in Saskatoon and $1,906 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 $2,259 in Saskatoon and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 134% 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 $1,271, than in Saskatoon at $2,259. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saskatoon 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, Saskatoon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.