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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Toronto vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,891 per month in Toronto vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,097 per month in Toronto vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toronto costs about 102% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Toronto sits 96% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 CA$24.57

$13.02 MX$221

36.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.5 CA$118

$46.25 MX$784

84.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 CA$14.72

$12.59 MX$213

-15.09%

Cappuccino

$4.12 CA$5.68

$4.00 MX$67.9

3.00%

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

$2.13 CA$2.93

$1.42 MX$24.08

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.29

$0.81 MX$13.73

106.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.44 CA$8.87

$3.05 MX$51.7

111.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$9.96

$6.82 MX$116

6.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.70 CA$3.73

$1.71 MX$29.04

57.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 CA$3.84

$2.22 MX$37.62

25.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.77

$1.72 MX$29.13

58.72%

Eggs

$3.81 CA$5.25

$2.71 MX$45.99

40.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.16

$9.37 MX$159

9.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 CA$16.74

$8.86 MX$150

37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.98 CA$22.02

$12.78 MX$217

25.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.50

$3.13 MX$53.0

27.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CA$1.68

$1.55 MX$26.24

-21.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.27

$2.15 MX$36.51

78.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.52

$2.35 MX$39.89

70.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 CA$2.84

$2.02 MX$34.23

1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$1.99 MX$33.67

-16.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CA$3.23

$1.24 MX$21.09

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 CA$2.06

$1.19 MX$20.21

25.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.65 CA$20.19

$4.65 MX$78.8

215.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 CA$19.49

$10.47 MX$177

35.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CA$3.28

$1.58 MX$26.82

50.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 CA$3.60

$2.92 MX$49.48

-10.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.36

$0.56 MX$9.53

335.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$155

$29.76 MX$504

279.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 CA$4.28

$5.32 MX$90.2

-41.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CA$1.72

$3.72 MX$63.0

-66.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.48 CA$30.97

$5.78 MX$97.9

288.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.55 MX$26.27

-20.00%

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

$26.7K CA$36.9K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

19.56%

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

$21.2K CA$29.2K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-16.98%

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

$131 CA$180

$89.3 MX$1,513

46.35%

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

$33.85 CA$46.64

$23.30 MX$395

45.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.82 CA$68.6

$31.72 MX$538

57.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.52 CA$58.6

$68.8 MX$1,165

-38.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.14 CA$36.02

$29.40 MX$498

-11.09%

Cinema Ticket

$13.93 CA$19.19

$5.06 MX$85.7

175.30%

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

$756 CA$1,042

$222 MX$3,765

240.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K CA$31.4K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

431.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$81.7

$46.21 MX$783

28.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.68 CA$60.2

$44.43 MX$753

-1.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$142

$95.5 MX$1,618

7.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 CA$183

$92.5 MX$1,568

43.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 CA$2,247

$1,069 MX$18.1K

52.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,487 CA$2,048

$393 MX$6,663

278.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,703 CA$3,724

$1,988 MX$33.7K

35.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 CA$3,071

$1,304 MX$22.1K

70.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,407 CA$11.6K

$4,037 MX$68.4K

108.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,804 CA$9,374

$6,627 MX$112.3K

2.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,525 CA$4,857

$747 MX$12.7K

371.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.48

11.6

-61.38%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Toronto versus $1,069 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 372% higher in Toronto, 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 $86.0 in Toronto versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $365 vs $277 – 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

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

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 102%, 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 $4,026 per month in Toronto and $1,995 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 $2,684 in Toronto and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 279% 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 $1,330, than in Toronto at $2,684. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto 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, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.