Cost of Living Comparison Between Labrador City and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Labrador City and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,524 in Labrador City versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,657 in Labrador City versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,790 in Labrador City versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Labrador City is roughly 101% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Labrador City is 89% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.39 CA$44.28

$11.95 MX$208

162.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 CA$104

$41.94 MX$730

75.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.67 CA$19.29

$10.42 MX$181

31.19%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.42

$3.51 MX$61.2

9.40%

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

$4.34 CA$6.12

$1.52 MX$26.39

185.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$0.91 MX$15.85

146.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.82

$3.04 MX$52.9

82.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.21

$4.37 MX$76.1

33.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.09

$1.42 MX$24.73

54.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.84

$1.83 MX$31.87

48.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.49 CA$4.92

$1.63 MX$28.45

114.11%

Eggs

$3.04 CA$4.29

$2.54 MX$44.20

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 CA$15.59

$8.57 MX$149

29.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.40

$8.49 MX$148

36.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.92 CA$21.04

$10.80 MX$188

38.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$2.75 MX$47.95

49.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$1.44 MX$25.00

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.29

$1.89 MX$32.84

98.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 CA$5.41

$2.17 MX$37.77

76.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.54

$1.78 MX$30.97

41.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.49

$2.22 MX$38.71

11.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.52

$1.07 MX$18.60

133.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$1.08 MX$18.79

65.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.21 CA$20.05

$4.15 MX$72.2

242.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 CA$16.53

$10.45 MX$182

12.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 CA$3.99

$1.74 MX$30.34

62.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.28

$2.58 MX$44.93

17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.37

$0.51 MX$8.94

368.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.8 CA$88.6

$25.94 MX$452

142.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.53

$3.21 MX$55.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.03

$2.50 MX$43.55

-42.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.12 CA$36.84

$3.19 MX$55.4

718.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.58

$1.26 MX$21.87

-11.11%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$29.7K MX$516.7K

-15.60%

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

$20.8K CA$29.3K

$23.7K MX$412.2K

-12.31%

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

$143 CA$202

$82.0 MX$1,428

74.24%

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

$44.47 CA$62.7

$22.73 MX$396

95.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$98.6 CA$139

$29.42 MX$512

235.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.28 CA$59.6

$52.2 MX$908

-18.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 CA$16.17

$4.93 MX$85.9

132.45%

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

$729 CA$1,029

$202 MX$3,512

261.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.7K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

127.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CA$77.2

$35.93 MX$625

52.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.29 CA$56.8

$40.33 MX$702

-0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 CA$121

$79.9 MX$1,390

7.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$150

$89.3 MX$1,554

18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 CA$1,851

$948 MX$16.5K

38.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 CA$1,645

$465 MX$8,098

150.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,788

$1,630 MX$28.4K

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,787 CA$2,521

$1,193 MX$20.8K

49.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,226 CA$5,960

$3,933 MX$68.5K

7.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,935 CA$5,550

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-38.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,311 CA$4,670

$658 MX$11.5K

402.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

11.42

-44.05%

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

Last update for Labrador City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,313 in Labrador City and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Labrador City pays 403% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Labrador City vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 403% higher in Labrador City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,313 in Labrador City versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $74.0 in Labrador City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,524 per month in Labrador City versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,524 in Labrador City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Labrador City. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Labrador City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Labrador City and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Labrador City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.