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 $2,284 per month in Laval vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,105 per month in Laval vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,925 per month in Laval vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Laval sits 70% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.22 CA$22.64

$11.87 MX$204

36.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.5 CA$103

$42.90 MX$736

71.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 CA$15.66

$10.65 MX$183

5.26%

Cappuccino

$4.05 CA$5.66

$3.45 MX$59.2

17.39%

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

$2.06 CA$2.88

$1.50 MX$25.81

37.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.41

$0.95 MX$16.28

82.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 CA$8.40

$3.03 MX$51.9

98.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 CA$9.16

$4.61 MX$79.1

42.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 CA$3.35

$1.38 MX$23.61

73.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 CA$3.99

$1.85 MX$31.70

54.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 CA$4.68

$1.61 MX$27.65

108.07%

Eggs

$3.28 CA$4.59

$2.59 MX$44.51

26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.47

$8.26 MX$142

34.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 CA$17.74

$8.37 MX$144

51.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 CA$21.25

$10.66 MX$183

42.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$2.63 MX$45.12

60.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 CA$2.36

$1.49 MX$25.53

13.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$1.92 MX$32.94

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 CA$6.18

$2.09 MX$35.81

111.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.46

$1.86 MX$31.88

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 CA$3.72

$2.26 MX$38.81

17.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 CA$3.04

$1.06 MX$18.23

105.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CA$2.19

$1.09 MX$18.67

44.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.08 CA$18.26

$4.15 MX$71.2

215.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 CA$16.78

$10.39 MX$178

15.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.50

$1.72 MX$29.59

45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.33

$2.61 MX$44.85

18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 CA$4.03

$0.54 MX$9.30

435.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CA$119

$26.94 MX$462

215.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 CA$4.22

$3.13 MX$53.7

-3.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$2.51 MX$43.09

-43.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.95 CA$27.86

$3.15 MX$54.1

533.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CA$1.65

$1.27 MX$21.88

-7.09%

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

$25.5K CA$35.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-16.07%

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

$21.5K CA$30.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-8.63%

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

$105 CA$146

$83.0 MX$1,425

26.30%

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

$43.82 CA$61.2

$22.71 MX$390

92.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.50 CA$64.9

$29.46 MX$506

57.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.33 CA$42.35

$51.0 MX$875

-40.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 CA$15.45

$4.93 MX$84.5

124.54%

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

$712 CA$994

$197 MX$3,386

260.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,761 CA$8,046

$5,280 MX$90.6K

9.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$36.90 MX$633

48.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.81 CA$62.6

$39.89 MX$685

12.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$144

$80.0 MX$1,373

29.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$89.5 MX$1,536

32.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 CA$1,664

$956 MX$16.4K

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 CA$1,529

$477 MX$8,189

129.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 CA$2,340

$1,646 MX$28.3K

1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,239 CA$1,731

$1,225 MX$21.0K

1.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,034 CA$4,237

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-22.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,592 CA$3,620

$667 MX$11.4K

288.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.48

11.42

-52.01%

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

Last update for Laval: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,192 in Laval 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 289% 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 $73.0 in Laval versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $374 vs $250 – 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 80% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,426 per month in Laval 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Laval and $43.00 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 $2,284 in Laval and $1,271 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 $1,271, than in Laval at $2,284. 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 $1,271 versus $2,284 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.