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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,419 per month in Laval vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,371 per month in Laval vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,323 per month in Laval vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Laval costs about 91% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Laval sits 77% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 CA$25.64

$11.60 MX$200

58.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$99.2

$47.11 MX$812

50.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.54 CA$16.14

$11.88 MX$205

-2.86%

Cappuccino

$3.88 CA$5.43

$3.98 MX$68.6

-2.51%

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

$2.13 CA$2.98

$1.43 MX$24.60

48.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$0.82 MX$14.22

84.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$8.11

$3.19 MX$55.0

81.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.20

$6.79 MX$117

7.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$1.68 MX$28.89

42.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 CA$4.16

$2.20 MX$37.88

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$1.71 MX$29.45

74.27%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.45

$2.74 MX$47.26

16.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 CA$12.90

$9.58 MX$165

-3.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 CA$15.90

$9.01 MX$155

26.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 CA$17.32

$12.81 MX$221

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.79

$2.89 MX$49.81

43.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.50 MX$25.81

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.25

$2.15 MX$37.03

74.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.63

$2.26 MX$38.96

77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 CA$3.91

$1.98 MX$34.15

41.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CA$2.86

$1.99 MX$34.30

3.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CA$3.60

$1.23 MX$21.28

108.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$2.02

$1.20 MX$20.63

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.32 CA$15.83

$4.55 MX$78.5

148.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 CA$16.38

$10.37 MX$179

12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 CA$3.31

$1.62 MX$27.91

45.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$2.88 MX$49.67

4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 CA$4.11

$0.60 MX$10.35

390.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 CA$109

$28.80 MX$497

169.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 CA$4.22

$5.39 MX$92.9

-43.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$3.73 MX$64.3

-60.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.67 CA$47.10

$5.77 MX$99.5

483.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CA$1.75

$1.54 MX$26.48

-18.83%

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

$28.9K CA$40.5K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

28.32%

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

$20.2K CA$28.3K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-22.40%

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

$87.1 CA$122

$91.4 MX$1,576

-4.69%

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

$35.26 CA$49.32

$25.20 MX$435

39.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.63 CA$63.8

$31.24 MX$539

46.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.53 CA$42.70

$67.2 MX$1,159

-54.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$11.62 CA$16.25

$4.86 MX$83.8

139.09%

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

$683 CA$955

$224 MX$3,856

205.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,457 CA$13.2K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

123.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 CA$80.4

$47.10 MX$812

21.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 CA$72.2

$44.29 MX$764

16.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 CA$137

$80.1 MX$1,381

21.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$156

$92.7 MX$1,598

20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 CA$1,636

$1,063 MX$18.3K

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 CA$1,821

$390 MX$6,728

233.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 CA$2,486

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 CA$2,403

$1,272 MX$21.9K

35.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,122 CA$4,367

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-21.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,598 CA$3,634

$758 MX$13.1K

242.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

11.45

-61.14%

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

Last update for Laval: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,170 in Laval versus $1,063 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 243% higher in Laval, 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 $71.0 in Laval versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $276 – 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

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

Laval costs about 91% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,629 per month in Laval and $1,899 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Laval and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,419 in Laval and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Laval at $2,419. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Laval it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $2,419 in Laval. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Laval makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.