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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $848 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,258 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,668 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Qapshaghay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qapshaghay are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Qapshaghay 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.67 ₸3,600

56.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$727

$19.34 ₸9,070

116.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.78 ₸2,711

85.99%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.8

$1.58 ₸743

121.52%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$0.87 ₸406

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.40

$0.53 ₸249

66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.02 ₸476

189.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.5

$1.15 ₸538

292.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.92

$1.30 ₸610

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.98

$0.60 ₸280

206.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.30

$1.47 ₸690

6.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.72

$1.80 ₸844

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.25 ₸4,339

-10.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.73 ₸2,217

78.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.47 ₸3,502

42.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.40

$1.39 ₸651

87.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.03

$1.97 ₸924

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.15

$1.86 ₸874

5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.45

$2.07 ₸970

0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.22

$0.62 ₸290

198.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.72

$0.40 ₸186

442.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.95

$1.31 ₸612

-21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.69

$0.70 ₸329

52.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.42 ₸667

188.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$10.43 ₸4,893

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.15

$0.87 ₸410

93.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.05 ₸962

23.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.86

$0.18 ₸82.7

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.70 ₸327

361.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.86

$0.62 ₸293

288.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.79 ₸2,248

-32.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.99

$0.52 ₸243

153.85%

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

$29.7K MX$516.8K

$23.2K ₸10.9M

28.04%

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

$23.7K MX$411.8K

$27.0K ₸12.7M

-12.36%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$62.9 ₸29.5K

30.32%

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

$22.95 MX$399

$8.90 ₸4,176

157.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$13.46 ₸6,312

123.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$904

$33.15 ₸15.5K

56.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.35 ₸2,510

-6.92%

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

$197 MX$3,436

$267 ₸125.4K

-26.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,939 ₸2.3M

8.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$619

$56.8 ₸26.6K

-37.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$44.10 ₸20.7K

-8.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,370

$99.2 ₸46.5K

-20.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,548

$120 ₸56.2K

-25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$384 ₸180.0K

146.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,249

$273 ₸128.2K

73.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$625 ₸293.3K

162.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$433 ₸203.2K

179.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,026 ₸481.1K

295.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.6K

$771 ₸361.8K

738.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

18.39

-37.90%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Qapshaghay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $384 in Qapshaghay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Qapshaghay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $188 – making Qapshaghay 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 Qapshaghay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,272 in Qapshaghay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qapshaghay, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $848 in Qapshaghay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $267 in Qapshaghay. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qapshaghay, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Qapshaghay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qapshaghay – 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 Qapshaghay. 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.