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: $2,465 in Labrador City versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,655 in Labrador City versus $2,158 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,844 in Labrador City versus $3,054 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Labrador City is roughly 95% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Labrador City is 83% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.85 CA$43.63

$11.61 MX$201

174.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.5 CA$98.0

$42.75 MX$740

67.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.34 CA$18.27

$10.60 MX$184

25.85%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.26

$3.59 MX$62.2

6.96%

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

$4.30 CA$5.89

$1.45 MX$25.15

196.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CA$3.19

$0.90 MX$15.55

158.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.50 CA$7.54

$3.03 MX$52.5

81.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.15

$4.56 MX$79.0

30.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$2.96

$1.45 MX$25.14

48.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 CA$3.75

$1.83 MX$31.64

49.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.95

$1.61 MX$27.85

124.22%

Eggs

$2.99 CA$4.10

$2.54 MX$43.95

17.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 CA$15.36

$8.54 MX$148

31.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.90 CA$16.30

$8.47 MX$147

40.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.86 CA$20.36

$10.86 MX$188

36.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.60

$2.73 MX$47.26

49.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.86

$1.49 MX$25.85

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.10

$1.94 MX$33.65

91.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$2.16 MX$37.49

73.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.38

$1.85 MX$31.97

33.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.53

$2.19 MX$37.91

17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CA$3.55

$1.07 MX$18.58

142.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CA$2.42

$1.08 MX$18.76

63.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.93 CA$19.08

$4.06 MX$70.3

243.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.00 CA$19.18

$10.46 MX$181

33.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 CA$3.97

$1.65 MX$28.64

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.26

$2.55 MX$44.13

21.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.34

$0.56 MX$9.63

335.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CA$85.3

$26.20 MX$454

137.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.42

$3.14 MX$54.4

2.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CA$1.96

$2.37 MX$41.08

-39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.45 CA$34.87

$3.24 MX$56.1

685.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.53

$1.31 MX$22.76

-14.50%

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

$25.3K CA$34.7K

$30.5K MX$528.9K

-17.17%

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

$21.0K CA$28.7K

$23.8K MX$412.6K

-12.02%

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

$144 CA$198

$83.1 MX$1,440

73.39%

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

$44.55 CA$61.0

$22.15 MX$384

101.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.2 CA$132

$29.37 MX$509

227.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.18 CA$56.4

$51.2 MX$887

-19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 CA$15.33

$4.89 MX$84.7

128.83%

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

$751 CA$1,028

$199 MX$3,441

277.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.5K

$5,207 MX$90.2K

130.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 CA$74.1

$35.93 MX$622

50.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.13 CA$53.6

$39.39 MX$682

-0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 CA$118

$80.3 MX$1,391

6.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$145

$87.6 MX$1,517

20.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 CA$1,792

$963 MX$16.7K

35.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,181 CA$1,619

$482 MX$8,350

145.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 CA$2,728

$1,645 MX$28.5K

21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 CA$2,504

$1,192 MX$20.6K

53.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,854 CA$5,281

$3,957 MX$68.5K

-2.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,524 CA$4,828

$6,513 MX$112.8K

-45.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,385 CA$4,638

$726 MX$12.6K

366.10%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,308 in Labrador City and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Labrador City pays 366% 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: $72 in Labrador City vs $43 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $253 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 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Labrador City pays 366% more on average, 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: $1,308 in Labrador City versus $963 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 $43.00 versus $72.0 in Labrador City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,465 per month in Labrador City versus $1,262 in Playa del Carmen – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,465 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 95% less than in Labrador City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.