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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,070 in Qabatiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,776 in Qabatiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,482 in Qabatiyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Qabatiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qabatiyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Qabatiyah 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.58 ₪25.02

38.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$42.15 ₪123

1.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.23 ₪26.91

15.38%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.63 ₪10.59

-4.96%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.72 ₪2.10

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.59 ₪1.71

61.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.64 ₪16.45

-46.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.42 ₪15.79

-14.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.99 ₪5.80

-30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.58 ₪1.70

218.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.80 ₪8.17

-42.50%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.53 ₪7.38

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.17 ₪17.99

33.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.51 ₪18.98

28.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$15.37 ₪44.82

-30.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.39 ₪6.97

10.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.40 ₪4.08

6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.45 ₪4.22

32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.38 ₪4.03

51.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.05 ₪3.06

77.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.08 ₪3.15

109.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.49 ₪4.33

-28.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.82 ₪2.38

32.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$7.79 ₪22.71

-46.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.89 ₪8.43

-40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.55 ₪7.44

2.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.01 ₪2.94

-46.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$59.3 ₪173

-54.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.76 ₪8.04

13.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.27 ₪3.69

97.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$14.02 ₪40.89

-77.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.91 ₪5.57

-33.51%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$37.1K ₪108.1K

-18.04%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$44.9K ₪131.1K

-47.57%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$83.7 ₪244

-0.81%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$18.41 ₪53.7

23.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$40.14 ₪117

-26.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$57.2 ₪167

-10.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$27.74 ₪80.9

-33.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$8.55 ₪24.93

-42.34%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$206 ₪601

-4.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,001 ₪11.7K

31.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$41.65 ₪121

-11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$42.74 ₪125

-6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$57.0 ₪166

40.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$42.75 ₪125

109.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$501 ₪1,460

90.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$286 ₪833

67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,013 ₪2,954

62.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$706 ₪2,058

73.53%

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

$710 ₪2,070

-6.03%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Qabatiyah: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $501 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 6% 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: $250 vs $218 – 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 19%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,606 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,070 in Qabatiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 120% 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 $1,070, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.