Cost per page is the issue and ink jets tend to be much more expensive.
The printer may be cheaper but the ink is very expensive.
If you are printing large volumes, get a laser.
Its cheaper to print B&W to a monochrome laser than a colour one.
But if you need to print colour, you need a colour laser.
Choose a colour laser with a separate black cartridge.
Laser printers are designed to print a certain volume of pages per month, so make sure your choice will handle the the printing volume you need. 5,000 pages per month, 10,000, 20,000 etc. etc.
Choose a printer where you can buy generic cartridges rather than one where you are forced to buy consumables from the printer supplier.