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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,293 per month in Windsor, NS vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,247 per month in Windsor, NS vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,202 per month in Windsor, NS vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Windsor, NS costs about 80% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Windsor, NS sits 71% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 CA$20.72

$11.87 MX$204

25.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.49 CA$52.4

$42.90 MX$736

-12.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 CA$12.62

$10.65 MX$183

-15.12%

Cappuccino

$3.63 CA$5.08

$3.45 MX$59.2

5.22%

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

$1.66 CA$2.32

$1.50 MX$25.81

10.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 CA$1.76

$0.95 MX$16.28

32.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.34

$3.03 MX$51.9

97.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 CA$8.17

$4.61 MX$79.1

26.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$1.38 MX$23.61

47.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 CA$3.91

$1.85 MX$31.70

51.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$1.61 MX$27.65

150.93%

Eggs

$3.98 CA$5.56

$2.59 MX$44.51

53.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 CA$17.82

$8.26 MX$142

54.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.27 CA$19.93

$8.37 MX$144

70.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.42

$10.66 MX$183

57.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$2.63 MX$45.12

54.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 CA$2.27

$1.49 MX$25.53

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.20

$1.92 MX$32.94

93.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 CA$7.50

$2.09 MX$35.81

156.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CA$2.99

$1.86 MX$31.88

15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.03

$2.26 MX$38.81

-3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$1.06 MX$18.23

149.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.59

$1.09 MX$18.67

70.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.49 CA$25.83

$4.15 MX$71.2

345.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.30 CA$15.77

$10.39 MX$178

8.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 CA$4.78

$1.72 MX$29.59

98.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 CA$4.62

$2.61 MX$44.85

26.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 CA$3.24

$0.54 MX$9.30

329.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 CA$87.9

$26.94 MX$462

133.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CA$10.67

$3.13 MX$53.7

144.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$2.51 MX$43.09

-42.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.91 CA$41.77

$3.15 MX$54.1

849.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.72

$1.27 MX$21.88

-3.15%

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

$24.9K CA$34.7K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-18.13%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-12.23%

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

$133 CA$185

$83.0 MX$1,425

59.71%

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

$32.51 CA$45.40

$22.71 MX$390

43.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.26 CA$50.6

$29.46 MX$506

23.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.05 CA$58.7

$51.0 MX$875

-17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 CA$15.20

$4.93 MX$84.5

120.69%

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

$165 CA$230

$197 MX$3,386

-16.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

127.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.58 CA$56.7

$36.90 MX$633

9.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.09 CA$49.00

$39.89 MX$685

-12.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 CA$119

$80.0 MX$1,373

6.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 CA$192

$89.5 MX$1,536

53.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 CA$1,834

$956 MX$16.4K

37.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 CA$1,623

$477 MX$8,189

143.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 CA$2,759

$1,646 MX$28.3K

20.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,848 CA$2,581

$1,225 MX$21.0K

50.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,551 CA$6,355

$3,918 MX$67.2K

16.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,841 CA$5,364

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-40.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$918 CA$1,282

$667 MX$11.4K

37.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

11.42

-43.43%

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

Last update for Windsor, NS: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,314 in Windsor, NS 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 38% higher in Windsor, NS, 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 $37.00 in Windsor, NS versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Windsor, NS vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Yes – Windsor, NS is pricier by about 80%, 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 $3,439 per month in Windsor, NS 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 $2,293 in Windsor, NS 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 Windsor, NS at $2,293. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Windsor, NS 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, Windsor, NS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.