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: $519 in Al-Qusayr versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $808 in Al-Qusayr versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,097 in Al-Qusayr versus $2,980 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

$6.07 SYP 671

$11.87 MX$204

-48.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.52 SYP 3,041

$42.90 MX$736

-35.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 SYP 601

$10.65 MX$183

-48.92%

Cappuccino

$1.49 SYP 165

$3.45 MX$59.2

-56.81%

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

$0.99 SYP 109

$1.50 MX$25.81

-34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 SYP 79.2

$0.95 MX$16.28

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SYP 174

$3.03 MX$51.9

-48.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 SYP 284

$4.61 MX$79.1

-44.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 SYP 114

$1.38 MX$23.61

-24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 SYP 64.4

$1.85 MX$31.70

-68.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 SYP 187

$1.61 MX$27.65

4.97%

Eggs

$1.86 SYP 206

$2.59 MX$44.51

-28.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.13 SYP 346

$8.26 MX$142

-62.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 SYP 834

$8.37 MX$144

-9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.25 SYP 1,243

$10.66 MX$183

5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 SYP 95.5

$2.63 MX$45.12

-67.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SYP 192

$1.49 MX$25.53

16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 113

$1.92 MX$32.94

-46.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 SYP 104

$2.09 MX$35.81

-55.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 SYP 67.4

$1.86 MX$31.88

-67.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 SYP 71.9

$2.26 MX$38.81

-71.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 44.26

$1.06 MX$18.23

-62.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SYP 68.9

$1.09 MX$18.67

-43.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 SYP 341

$4.15 MX$71.2

-25.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 SYP 654

$10.39 MX$178

-43.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SYP 113

$1.72 MX$29.59

-40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SYP 193

$2.61 MX$44.85

-32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 109

$3.13 MX$53.7

-68.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 SYP 112

$2.51 MX$43.09

-59.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.99 SYP 109

$3.15 MX$54.1

-68.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 SYP 108

$1.27 MX$21.88

-22.83%

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

$18.3K SYP 2.0M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-39.86%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-12.15%

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

$101 SYP 11.2K

$83.0 MX$1,425

21.65%

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

$8.36 SYP 924

$22.71 MX$390

-63.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 SYP 6,140

$29.46 MX$506

88.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 SYP 333

$4.93 MX$84.5

-38.95%

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

$43.32 SYP 4,787

$197 MX$3,386

-78.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,822 SYP 201.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-65.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.26 SYP 3,233

$36.90 MX$633

-20.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.83 SYP 2,854

$39.89 MX$685

-35.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.15 SYP 4,989

$80.0 MX$1,373

-43.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 SYP 6,204

$89.5 MX$1,536

-37.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $28.00 in Al-Qusayr vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $250 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 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $779 in Al-Qusayr and $1,906 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 49% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $519 per month in Al-Qusayr versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 in Al-Qusayr versus $1,271 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 145% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.