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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,231 in Mont-Laurier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,224 in Mont-Laurier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,217 in Mont-Laurier.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 41% less than in Mont-Laurier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 5% below, Mont-Laurier is 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$18.25 CA$25.31

-34.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$72.9 CA$101

-35.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.94 CA$15.18

7.40%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.01 CA$5.56

2.74%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.06 CA$2.86

-32.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.55 CA$2.15

-41.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$6.55 CA$9.08

-50.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.31 CA$10.13

-3.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$2.36 CA$3.27

-28.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.76 CA$3.83

-22.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.52 CA$3.50

-29.76%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.33 CA$4.62

-15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.86 CA$8.13

57.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$11.60 CA$16.09

-20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$14.37 CA$19.92

-12.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.69 CA$5.11

-20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.56 CA$2.17

1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.43 CA$4.76

-35.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.94 CA$4.08

-19.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.46 CA$2.02

36.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.07 CA$1.48

85.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.93 CA$2.68

-35.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.38 CA$1.92

-12.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$10.50 CA$14.56

-56.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.21 CA$8.62

69.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.38 CA$3.31

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.02 CA$4.18

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$2.40 CA$3.33

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$63.4 CA$88.0

-53.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.20 CA$4.43

63.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.51 CA$2.10

141.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$33.49 CA$46.44

-82.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.12 CA$1.55

37.50%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$28.1K CA$39.0K

-18.98%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.9K CA$27.6K

29.75%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$80.8 CA$112

12.17%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$35.43 CA$49.14

-28.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$41.20 CA$57.1

-22.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$42.44 CA$58.9

62.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$18.41 CA$25.53

59.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.65 CA$16.16

-58.28%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$575 CA$798

-60.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$16.6K CA$23.0K

-74.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$58.3 CA$80.8

-18.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$42.04 CA$58.3

3.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$106 CA$147

-24.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$115 CA$159

-20.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,279 CA$1,774

-15.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$1,165 CA$1,615

-64.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,032 CA$2,819

-2.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,720 CA$2,385

-25.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$4,387 CA$6,085

-7.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$3,623 CA$5,025

85.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.41

159.64%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mont-Laurier: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $1,279 in Mont-Laurier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $73.0 in Mont-Laurier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $311 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 Mont-Laurier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $3,346 in Mont-Laurier 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: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,279 in Mont-Laurier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 $47.00 versus $73.0 in Mont-Laurier. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,231 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, Playa del Carmen and Mont-Laurier 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 71% less than in Mont-Laurier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.