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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,277 in Laval, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,105 in Laval, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,934 in Laval, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 45% cheaper than Laval, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Laval is 71% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$16.08 CA$22.53

-27.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$74.5 CA$104

-43.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$11.33 CA$15.88

-7.24%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.02 CA$5.63

-10.70%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.06 CA$2.89

-26.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.70 CA$2.39

-45.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$6.04 CA$8.47

-50.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$6.49 CA$9.09

-32.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$2.28 CA$3.20

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.87 CA$4.03

-34.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$3.31 CA$4.64

-52.87%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.28 CA$4.59

-20.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$11.03 CA$15.46

-24.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$12.86 CA$18.02

-35.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$15.43 CA$21.62

-29.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$4.27 CA$5.98

-36.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.68 CA$2.35

-10.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$4.14 CA$5.80

-54.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$4.27 CA$5.99

-48.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.51 CA$3.52

-25.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.59 CA$3.64

-13.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$2.17 CA$3.04

-50.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.55 CA$2.18

-29.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$13.41 CA$18.79

-68.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.12 CA$16.99

-13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.45 CA$3.43

-32.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.12 CA$4.38

-16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.87 CA$4.02

-81.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$82.3 CA$115

-68.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.03 CA$4.25

1.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.47 CA$2.05

63.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$20.00 CA$28.02

-84.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.22 CA$1.72

7.38%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$25.2K CA$35.3K

18.42%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.9K CA$30.7K

6.56%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$104 CA$145

-21.53%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$42.20 CA$59.1

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$46.66 CA$65.4

-35.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$30.53 CA$42.79

73.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$10.82 CA$15.16

-54.53%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$690 CA$967

-70.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$5,761 CA$8,072

-10.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$55.3 CA$77.5

-35.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$45.16 CA$63.3

-11.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$101 CA$141

-20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$122 CA$170

-28.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$1,181 CA$1,654

-17.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$1,118 CA$1,566

-57.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$1,688 CA$2,366

-2.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$1,274 CA$1,785

-5.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$3,100 CA$4,344

27.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$2,604 CA$3,650

-74.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.48

108.39%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Laval: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,181 in Laval. 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 285% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.0 in Laval. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $374 – 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

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

Laval costs about 81% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,415 in Laval. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $75.0 in Laval. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $2,277 in Laval. 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 $1,260, than in Laval at $2,277. 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 $1,260 versus $2,277 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.