Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Qusayr and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Qusayr and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $520 in Al-Qusayr versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $813 in Al-Qusayr versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,106 in Al-Qusayr versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al-Qusayr costs roughly 59% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Qusayr 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.85 SYP 710

$11.72 MX$204

-50.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.55 SYP 3,347

$41.89 MX$731

-34.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 SYP 648

$10.51 MX$183

-49.19%

Cappuccino

$1.55 SYP 189

$3.59 MX$62.5

-56.82%

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

$1.02 SYP 124

$1.51 MX$26.31

-32.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 SYP 81.9

$0.92 MX$15.96

-27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SYP 198

$2.96 MX$51.6

-44.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SYP 307

$4.41 MX$76.9

-42.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 SYP 126

$1.40 MX$24.35

-26.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 71.8

$1.88 MX$32.87

-68.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 SYP 211

$1.56 MX$27.19

10.90%

Eggs

$1.91 SYP 233

$2.61 MX$45.50

-26.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.11 SYP 378

$8.32 MX$145

-62.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 SYP 916

$8.35 MX$146

-9.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 SYP 1,363

$10.86 MX$189

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 112

$2.71 MX$47.31

-66.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 SYP 218

$1.51 MX$26.25

19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 SYP 120

$1.87 MX$32.67

-47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 SYP 111

$2.19 MX$38.19

-58.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 79.7

$1.86 MX$32.40

-64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 75.8

$2.23 MX$38.90

-72.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SYP 45.32

$1.07 MX$18.63

-65.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SYP 76.5

$1.09 MX$18.94

-42.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 SYP 358

$4.19 MX$73.0

-29.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 SYP 985

$10.43 MX$182

-22.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.66 MX$28.91

-40.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SYP 220

$2.61 MX$45.56

-30.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 SYP 125

$3.08 MX$53.7

-66.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 SYP 124

$2.40 MX$41.94

-57.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 119

$3.13 MX$54.5

-68.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 SYP 125

$1.31 MX$22.87

-21.37%

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

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-39.05%

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

$21.3K SYP 2.6M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-8.51%

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

$100 SYP 12.2K

$81.3 MX$1,418

23.35%

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

$8.38 SYP 1,018

$22.56 MX$393

-62.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.3 SYP 6,592

$30.05 MX$524

80.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$3.04 SYP 370

$4.92 MX$85.8

-38.21%

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

$43.07 SYP 5,233

$201 MX$3,502

-78.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,827 SYP 222.0K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-64.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.30 SYP 3,560

$35.92 MX$627

-18.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.87 SYP 3,144

$40.13 MX$700

-35.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.46 SYP 5,524

$79.7 MX$1,390

-42.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 SYP 6,699

$86.5 MX$1,508

-36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

11.42

20.40%

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

Last update for Al-Qusayr: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $28.00 in Al-Qusayr vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $252 per month, with Al-Qusayr 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

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

Al-Qusayr is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $780 in Al-Qusayr 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $520 per month in Al-Qusayr versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 142% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $520 in Al-Qusayr versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Qusayr but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Qusayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Qusayr is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al-Qusayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.