Cost of Living Comparison Between Laurel, MD and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Laurel, MD and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,637 in Laurel, MD versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,173 in Laurel, MD versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,708 in Laurel, MD versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Laurel, MD is roughly 103% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Laurel, MD is 97% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 $11.81

$11.73 MX$203

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.36 $49.36

$41.62 MX$719

18.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$10.64 MX$184

-4.51%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$3.52 MX$60.8

40.91%

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

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 MX$26.09

31.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.97 MX$16.82

105.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.95 MX$51.0

116.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$4.45 MX$77.0

76.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.38 MX$23.90

-25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.89 MX$32.69

84.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$1.64 MX$28.29

328.05%

Eggs

$3.97 $3.97

$2.51 MX$43.30

58.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.01 $19.01

$8.34 MX$144

127.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.57 $20.57

$8.34 MX$144

146.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$10.73 MX$185

25.07%

Apples (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$2.60 MX$45.00

139.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.46 MX$25.18

97.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.00 $8.00

$1.90 MX$32.84

321.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$2.08 MX$35.88

432.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.78 MX$30.68

63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.19 MX$37.76

-2.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.04 MX$17.97

176.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.08 MX$18.60

172.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.21 $8.21

$4.08 MX$70.5

101.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.70 $17.70

$10.32 MX$178

71.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.71 MX$29.59

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.58 MX$44.50

43.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.51 MX$8.81

284.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.26 MX$56.4

34.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.49 MX$43.05

-34.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.01 $29.01

$3.25 MX$56.1

792.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.31 MX$22.59

-32.82%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-13.87%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

6.77%

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

$163 $163

$82.9 MX$1,432

96.17%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$22.22 MX$384

135.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$29.34 MX$507

124.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.42 $43.42

$51.6 MX$892

-15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$5.07 MX$87.5

159.17%

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

$1,872 $1,872

$201 MX$3,470

832.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

342.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.80 $37.80

$36.92 MX$638

2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 $29.57

$39.79 MX$688

-25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$78.5 MX$1,356

15.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$87.1 MX$1,505

39.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$973 MX$16.8K

62.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 $1,356

$468 MX$8,082

189.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,584 $2,584

$1,641 MX$28.4K

57.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,988 $2,988

$1,221 MX$21.1K

144.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,222 $2,222

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-43.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,504 $2,504

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-61.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,423 $5,423

$664 MX$11.5K

716.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

11.42

-42.64%

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

Last update for Laurel, MD: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,583 in Laurel, MD and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Laurel, MD pays 717% 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: $49.00 in Laurel, MD vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 vs $249 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

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

Laurel, MD and Playa del Carmen differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($2,637 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Laurel, MD pays 717% 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: $1,583 in Laurel, MD versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 115% higher in Laurel, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,637 per month in Laurel, MD versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,637 in Laurel, MD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Laurel, MD. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Laurel, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.