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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 142% more expensive than in Al-Qusayr, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$5.85 SYP 710

100.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$27.55 SYP 3,347

52.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$5.34 SYP 648

96.82%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.55 SYP 189

131.61%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.02 SYP 124

48.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.67 SYP 81.9

37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.63 SYP 198

81.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.53 SYP 307

74.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.03 SYP 126

35.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.59 SYP 71.8

218.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.73 SYP 211

-9.83%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.91 SYP 233

36.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$3.11 SYP 378

167.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$7.54 SYP 916

10.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.22 SYP 1,363

-3.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$0.92 SYP 112

194.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.80 SYP 218

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.99 SYP 120

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.91 SYP 111

140.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.66 SYP 79.7

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.62 SYP 75.8

259.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.37 SYP 45.32

189.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.63 SYP 76.5

73.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.95 SYP 358

42.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.11 SYP 985

28.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$0.98 SYP 119

69.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.81 SYP 220

44.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.03 SYP 125

199.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$1.02 SYP 124

135.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$0.98 SYP 119

219.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.03 SYP 125

27.18%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$18.2K SYP 2.2M

64.08%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$21.3K SYP 2.6M

9.30%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$100 SYP 12.2K

-18.93%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$8.38 SYP 1,018

169.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$54.3 SYP 6,592

-44.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.04 SYP 370

61.84%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$43.07 SYP 5,233

366.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$1,827 SYP 222.0K

183.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$29.30 SYP 3,560

22.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$25.87 SYP 3,144

55.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$45.46 SYP 5,524

75.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$55.1 SYP 6,699

56.80%

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 %)

11.42

13.75

-16.95%

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 Al-Qusayr: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

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

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

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $780 in Al-Qusayr 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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $520 in Al-Qusayr – 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.