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 $2,754 per month in Toronto vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,090 per month in Toronto vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,427 per month in Toronto vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Toronto costs about 117% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Toronto sits 105% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.93 CA$26.43

$11.87 MX$204

59.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.9 CA$114

$42.90 MX$736

90.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.13 CA$15.55

$10.65 MX$183

4.51%

Cappuccino

$4.00 CA$5.59

$3.45 MX$59.2

15.94%

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

$2.18 CA$3.05

$1.50 MX$25.81

45.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.36

$0.95 MX$16.28

77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.28

$3.03 MX$51.9

95.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 CA$9.18

$4.61 MX$79.1

42.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.83 CA$3.96

$1.38 MX$23.61

105.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$1.85 MX$31.70

47.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.09

$1.61 MX$27.65

126.71%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.94

$2.59 MX$44.51

36.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 CA$18.84

$8.26 MX$142

63.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.06 CA$18.24

$8.37 MX$144

56.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 CA$23.05

$10.66 MX$183

54.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.57

$2.63 MX$45.12

51.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CA$1.64

$1.49 MX$25.53

-20.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 CA$4.49

$1.92 MX$32.94

67.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$2.09 MX$35.81

93.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$1.86 MX$31.88

36.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 CA$3.92

$2.26 MX$38.81

24.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.43

$1.06 MX$18.23

132.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.68

$1.09 MX$18.67

76.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.85 CA$20.74

$4.15 MX$71.2

257.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.22 CA$19.86

$10.39 MX$178

36.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.76

$1.72 MX$29.59

56.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 CA$4.57

$2.61 MX$44.85

25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 CA$3.35

$0.54 MX$9.30

344.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$158

$26.94 MX$462

319.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 CA$5.18

$3.13 MX$53.7

18.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.97

$2.51 MX$43.09

-43.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.53 CA$35.65

$3.15 MX$54.1

710.48%

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)

$24.7K CA$34.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-18.84%

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

$21.6K CA$30.2K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-8.29%

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

$120 CA$168

$83.0 MX$1,425

44.59%

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

$36.76 CA$51.3

$22.71 MX$390

61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$29.46 MX$506

86.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 CA$79.8

$51.0 MX$875

12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.05 CA$29.40

$18.33 MX$315

14.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 CA$16.40

$4.93 MX$84.5

138.13%

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

$1,142 CA$1,595

$197 MX$3,386

479.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K CA$25.1K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

241.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 CA$79.2

$36.90 MX$633

53.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.80 CA$55.6

$39.89 MX$685

-0.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 CA$124

$80.0 MX$1,373

10.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$89.5 MX$1,536

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CA$2,556

$956 MX$16.4K

91.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 CA$2,207

$477 MX$8,189

231.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,989 CA$4,174

$1,646 MX$28.3K

81.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 CA$3,506

$1,225 MX$21.0K

105.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,084 CA$12.7K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

131.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,885 CA$9,614

$6,459 MX$110.9K

6.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,555 CA$4,964

$667 MX$11.4K

432.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

11.42

-54.82%

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

Last update for Toronto: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,830 in Toronto 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 433% 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 $82.0 in Toronto versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 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

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

Yes – Toronto is pricier by about 117%, 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 $4,131 per month in Toronto 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 $2,754 in Toronto 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 319% 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 Toronto at $2,754. 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.