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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,389 per month in Windsor vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,392 per month in Windsor vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,395 per month in Windsor vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Windsor costs about 84% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Windsor sits 78% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.23 CA$15.55
$11.73 MX$203
-4.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.2 CA$103
$41.62 MX$720
78.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.18 CA$15.48
$10.64 MX$184
5.08%
Cappuccino
$4.17 CA$5.77
$3.52 MX$60.9
18.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 CA$2.89
$1.51 MX$26.12
38.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 CA$2.60
$0.97 MX$16.84
93.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.11 CA$7.08
$2.95 MX$51.0
73.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.28 CA$8.69
$4.45 MX$77.0
41.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.85 CA$2.56
$1.38 MX$23.93
34.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.17 CA$3.00
$1.89 MX$32.72
14.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.95 CA$5.47
$1.64 MX$28.32
140.85%
Eggs
$3.18 CA$4.40
$2.51 MX$43.34
26.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.73 CA$14.85
$8.34 MX$144
28.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.86 CA$15.04
$8.34 MX$144
30.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.88 CA$19.22
$10.73 MX$186
29.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.93 CA$5.44
$2.60 MX$45.04
51.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 CA$1.43
$1.46 MX$25.20
-29.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 CA$4.62
$1.90 MX$32.87
75.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.84 CA$5.31
$2.08 MX$35.91
84.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 CA$2.69
$1.78 MX$30.71
9.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.05 CA$2.83
$2.19 MX$37.80
-6.39%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 CA$3.24
$1.04 MX$17.99
125.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 CA$2.09
$1.08 MX$18.62
39.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.11 CA$18.15
$4.08 MX$70.6
221.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.66 CA$16.14
$10.32 MX$178
12.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.90 CA$4.02
$1.71 MX$29.61
69.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83 CA$3.92
$2.58 MX$44.54
9.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.74 CA$3.79
$0.51 MX$8.81
437.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.8 CA$126
$26.46 MX$458
242.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.34 CA$4.63
$3.26 MX$56.4
2.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 CA$1.93
$2.49 MX$43.09
-44.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$22.27 CA$30.84
$3.25 MX$56.2
585.23%
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)
$24.9K CA$34.5K
$30.3K MX$523.7K
-17.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K CA$34.2K
$23.4K MX$405.3K
5.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 CA$279
$82.9 MX$1,433
143.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.2 CA$75.1
$22.22 MX$384
144.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.8 CA$84.1
$29.34 MX$507
107.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.96 CA$63.6
$51.6 MX$893
-10.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.00 CA$36.00
$18.32 MX$317
41.92%
Cinema Ticket
$10.06 CA$13.93
$5.07 MX$87.6
98.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$512 CA$709
$201 MX$3,473
155.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,450 CA$6,161
$5,212 MX$90.1K
-14.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.34 CA$51.7
$36.92 MX$639
1.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.19 CA$48.72
$39.79 MX$688
-11.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.5 CA$114
$78.5 MX$1,357
5.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 CA$110
$87.1 MX$1,506
-8.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,228 CA$1,700
$973 MX$16.8K
26.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,270 CA$1,759
$468 MX$8,090
171.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,742 CA$2,413
$1,641 MX$28.4K
6.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,858 CA$2,572
$1,221 MX$21.1K
52.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,012 CA$4,170
$3,946 MX$68.3K
-23.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,085 CA$4,271
$6,498 MX$112.4K
-52.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Windsor
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,047 CA$4,219
$664 MX$11.5K
358.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.66
11.42
-41.68%

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

Last update for Windsor: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,228 in Windsor 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 359% higher in Windsor, 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 $74.0 in Windsor versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $336 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
Windsor vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Windsor?
Yes – Windsor is pricier by about 84%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,584 per month in Windsor and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Windsor vs Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,389 in Windsor and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 243% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Windsor or Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Windsor at $2,389. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windsor it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Windsor or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Windsor makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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