Cost of Living Comparison Between Mont-Laurier and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mont-Laurier and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,184 in Mont-Laurier versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,234 in Mont-Laurier versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,284 in Mont-Laurier versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mont-Laurier is roughly 73% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mont-Laurier is 64% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.98 CA$22.43

$11.72 MX$204

36.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.2 CA$101

$41.89 MX$731

72.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.07 CA$15.53

$10.51 MX$183

5.33%

Cappuccino

$3.74 CA$5.25

$3.59 MX$62.5

4.18%

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

$2.11 CA$2.96

$1.51 MX$26.31

39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 CA$2.06

$0.92 MX$15.96

59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 CA$8.45

$2.96 MX$51.6

103.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 CA$9.57

$4.41 MX$76.9

54.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.26

$1.40 MX$24.35

65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.83

$1.88 MX$32.87

45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$1.56 MX$27.19

66.67%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.85

$2.61 MX$45.50

32.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 CA$8.79

$8.32 MX$145

-24.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.75 CA$16.50

$8.35 MX$146

40.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 CA$21.89

$10.86 MX$189

43.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 CA$5.12

$2.71 MX$47.31

34.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 CA$2.20

$1.51 MX$26.25

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.63

$1.87 MX$32.67

114.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.77

$2.19 MX$38.19

55.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.86 MX$32.40

-19.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$2.23 MX$38.90

-50.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 CA$2.92

$1.07 MX$18.63

94.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 CA$2.52

$1.09 MX$18.94

64.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.55 CA$14.80

$4.19 MX$73.0

151.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 CA$8.74

$10.43 MX$182

-40.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.38

$1.66 MX$28.91

87.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 CA$4.93

$2.61 MX$45.56

34.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.26

$0.54 MX$9.45

331.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 CA$86.9

$26.16 MX$456

136.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 CA$5.02

$3.08 MX$53.7

16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.05

$2.40 MX$41.94

-39.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.51 CA$48.44

$3.13 MX$54.5

1002.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$1.31 MX$22.87

-12.98%

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

$25.1K CA$35.2K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-15.87%

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

$21.4K CA$30.0K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-8.40%

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

$74.0 CA$104

$81.3 MX$1,418

-8.94%

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

$36.07 CA$50.6

$22.56 MX$393

59.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.93 CA$61.7

$30.05 MX$524

46.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 CA$57.7

$52.9 MX$923

-22.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$11.20 CA$15.71

$4.92 MX$85.8

127.64%

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

$624 CA$876

$201 MX$3,502

210.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,952 CA$8,354

$5,175 MX$90.2K

15.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 CA$87.6

$35.92 MX$627

73.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.77 CA$62.8

$40.13 MX$700

11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$146

$79.7 MX$1,390

30.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 CA$169

$86.5 MX$1,508

39.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,325 CA$1,860

$978 MX$17.1K

35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 CA$1,645

$470 MX$8,206

149.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,851

$1,651 MX$28.8K

23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 CA$2,503

$1,203 MX$21.0K

48.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,804 CA$5,339

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-3.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,677 CA$5,162

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-44.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

11.42

-56.13%

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

Last update for Mont-Laurier: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Mont-Laurier and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72.0 in Mont-Laurier vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,276 in Mont-Laurier and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,325 in Mont-Laurier versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Mont-Laurier. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $72.0 in Mont-Laurier. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,184 in Mont-Laurier, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Mont-Laurier. 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 Mont-Laurier, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mont-Laurier 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 73% less than in Mont-Laurier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.