Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Labrador City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Labrador City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,542 in Labrador City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,158 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,624 in Labrador City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,054 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,706 in Labrador City.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 50% less than in Labrador City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Labrador City is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$32.23 CA$44.16

-63.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$725

$73.1 CA$100

-42.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$13.40 CA$18.36

-22.39%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.88 CA$5.32

-6.96%

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

$1.47 MX$25.44

$4.11 CA$5.63

-64.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.79

$2.29 CA$3.13

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$5.61 CA$7.69

-45.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$5.96 CA$8.16

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.82

$2.12 CA$2.90

-34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.91

$2.71 CA$3.71

-32.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.80

$3.50 CA$4.80

-54.00%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.49

$2.94 CA$4.03

-12.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$11.24 CA$15.40

-24.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$11.69 CA$16.02

-27.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$14.98 CA$20.52

-26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.23

$4.13 CA$5.66

-33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.90

$1.37 CA$1.88

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.91

$3.61 CA$4.94

-45.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.68

$3.68 CA$5.04

-42.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.28

$2.49 CA$3.42

-25.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.65

$2.47 CA$3.38

-12.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$2.55 CA$3.49

-58.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.17

$1.77 CA$2.42

-40.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$14.25 CA$19.52

-70.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$13.68 CA$18.75

-24.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.85

$2.80 CA$3.84

-40.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.17 CA$4.34

-21.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.35 CA$3.22

-77.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$63.2 CA$86.5

-58.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$3.13 CA$4.29

-0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.64

$1.43 CA$1.97

72.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.0

$25.99 CA$35.61

-87.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.82

$1.13 CA$1.54

11.50%

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

$30.2K MX$522.5K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

20.05%

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

$23.4K MX$406.1K

$20.6K CA$28.2K

14.01%

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

$84.0 MX$1,455

$141 CA$193

-40.32%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$44.05 CA$60.4

-49.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$97.2 CA$133

-69.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$41.14 CA$56.4

27.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$11.40 CA$15.62

-56.58%

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

$198 MX$3,436

$732 CA$1,003

-72.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$11.6K CA$15.9K

-54.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$55.1 CA$75.4

-34.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$40.28 CA$55.2

-0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$85.1 CA$117

-7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$108 CA$148

-19.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,334 CA$1,827

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,153

$1,167 CA$1,599

-59.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,042 CA$2,797

-21.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.0K

$1,827 CA$2,504

-33.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.8K

$4,596 CA$6,297

-12.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$113.9K

$3,944 CA$5,404

66.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$3,490 CA$4,781

-79.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.39

78.72%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Labrador City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $1,334 in Labrador City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Labrador City pays 380% 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: $43 in Playa del Carmen vs $73 in Labrador City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $364 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Labrador City earns 380% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,334 in Labrador City. 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 $73.0 in Labrador City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,542 in Labrador City – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,262 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,542 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, Playa del Carmen and Labrador City 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 101% less than in Labrador City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.