Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Qabatiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Qabatiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,057 in Qabatiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,780 in Qabatiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,503 in Qabatiyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% more than Qabatiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qabatiyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Qabatiyah 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.50 ₪25.33

40.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$42.35 ₪126

0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.26 ₪27.61

14.36%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.75 ₪11.19

-3.47%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.71 ₪2.12

107.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.59 ₪1.75

59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$5.46 ₪16.28

-43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$5.41 ₪16.12

-17.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.94 ₪5.79

-26.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.58 ₪1.72

224.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.79 ₪8.32

-41.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.56 ₪7.63

3.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.13 ₪18.26

33.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.65 ₪19.81

24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$15.48 ₪46.13

-28.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.43 ₪7.24

9.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.42 ₪4.24

5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.38 ₪4.10

44.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.39 ₪4.15

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.08 ₪3.22

65.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.06 ₪3.16

105.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.50 ₪4.46

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.82 ₪2.46

26.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.77 ₪23.16

-48.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.91 ₪8.68

-40.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.53 ₪7.53

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.04 ₪3.08

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$59.5 ₪177

-54.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.76 ₪8.23

13.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.28 ₪3.81

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$14.09 ₪41.99

-78.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.97 ₪5.87

-35.53%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$37.2K ₪110.8K

-16.96%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$44.4K ₪132.2K

-47.45%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$84.6 ₪252

-3.04%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$18.38 ₪54.8

22.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$41.31 ₪123

-28.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$55.2 ₪165

-6.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$28.35 ₪84.5

-34.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$8.35 ₪24.88

-40.48%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$200 ₪597

-1.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,972 ₪11.8K

32.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.35 ₪126

-14.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$44.09 ₪131

-9.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$55.7 ₪166

43.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$43.01 ₪128

106.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$504 ₪1,503

90.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$280 ₪834

66.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,002 ₪2,986

59.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$706 ₪2,105

71.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,023 ₪6,029

94.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,331 ₪3,967

384.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$731 ₪2,179

-1.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.6

-1.55%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Qabatiyah: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $504 in Qabatiyah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Qabatiyah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.00 in Qabatiyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $219 – making Qabatiyah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Qabatiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,585 in Qabatiyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qabatiyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,057 in Qabatiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 121% less in Qabatiyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qabatiyah, where all-in costs run around $1,057, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Qabatiyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qabatiyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Qabatiyah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.