Cost of Living Comparison Between Stratford, ON and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Stratford, ON and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,066 per month in Stratford, ON vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,207 per month in Stratford, ON vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,348 per month in Stratford, ON vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Stratford, ON costs about 59% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stratford, ON sits 54% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.69 CA$21.73

$11.73 MX$203

33.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.6

$41.62 MX$720

71.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 CA$16.18

$10.64 MX$184

9.87%

Cappuccino

$3.67 CA$5.08

$3.52 MX$60.9

4.26%

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

$1.85 CA$2.57

$1.51 MX$26.12

22.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.99

$0.97 MX$16.84

48.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.30 CA$7.34

$2.95 MX$51.0

79.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$4.45 MX$77.0

-35.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 CA$2.58

$1.38 MX$23.93

34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 CA$2.55

$1.89 MX$32.72

-2.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$1.64 MX$28.32

98.78%

Eggs

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.51 MX$43.34

-19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.00 CA$6.92

$8.34 MX$144

-40.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 CA$10.44

$8.34 MX$144

-9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.04 CA$36.05

$10.73 MX$186

142.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.63

$2.60 MX$45.04

56.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 CA$1.25

$1.46 MX$25.20

-38.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 CA$4.38

$1.90 MX$32.87

66.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.19

$2.08 MX$35.91

10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$3.98

$1.78 MX$30.71

61.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.65

$2.19 MX$37.80

20.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 CA$3.20

$1.04 MX$17.99

122.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.97

$1.08 MX$18.62

31.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.77 CA$14.91

$4.08 MX$70.6

163.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.31 CA$15.66

$10.32 MX$178

9.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 CA$3.76

$1.71 MX$29.61

59.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.86

$2.58 MX$44.54

8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.18 CA$3.02

$0.51 MX$8.81

327.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 CA$71.6

$26.46 MX$458

95.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 CA$3.36

$3.26 MX$56.4

-25.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.36

$2.49 MX$43.09

-31.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.91 CA$45.56

$3.25 MX$56.2

912.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.52

$1.31 MX$22.61

-16.03%

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

$24.7K CA$34.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-18.27%

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

$21.6K CA$29.9K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-7.97%

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

$135 CA$187

$82.9 MX$1,433

62.56%

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

$54.2 CA$75.0

$22.22 MX$384

143.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.4 CA$80.8

$29.34 MX$507

99.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.28 CA$61.3

$51.6 MX$893

-14.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.54

$18.32 MX$317

8.57%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 CA$14.76

$5.07 MX$87.6

110.26%

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

$948 CA$1,313

$201 MX$3,473

372.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K CA$15.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

115.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.89 CA$66.3

$36.92 MX$639

29.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.41 CA$53.2

$39.79 MX$688

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 CA$115

$78.5 MX$1,357

5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 CA$176

$87.1 MX$1,506

45.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 CA$1,851

$973 MX$16.8K

37.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$959 CA$1,327

$468 MX$8,090

104.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 CA$3,083

$1,641 MX$28.4K

35.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 CA$2,643

$1,221 MX$21.1K

56.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,574 CA$6,334

$3,946 MX$68.3K

15.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,547 CA$4,911

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-45.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,740 CA$3,793

$664 MX$11.5K

312.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.42

-42.64%

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

Last update for Stratford, ON: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,337 in Stratford, ON versus $973 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 313% higher in Stratford, ON, 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 $71.0 in Stratford, ON versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 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

Stratford, ON vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stratford, ON is pricier by about 59%, 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 $3,099 per month in Stratford, ON and $1,945 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 $2,066 in Stratford, ON and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 95% 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 Stratford, ON at $2,066. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stratford, ON 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, Stratford, ON makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.