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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $863 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,274 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,686 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$7.93 ₸3,711

47.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$725

$19.36 ₸9,063

116.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.71 ₸2,673

82.14%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.58 ₸740

128.48%

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

$1.47 MX$25.44

$0.84 ₸392

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.79

$0.53 ₸248

71.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.5

$0.94 ₸440

222.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$1.14 ₸534

292.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.82

$1.27 ₸595

8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.91

$0.54 ₸254

240.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.80

$1.47 ₸688

9.52%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.49

$1.80 ₸843

42.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$9.46 ₸4,428

-10.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.72 ₸2,210

79.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.57 ₸3,542

45.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.23

$1.38 ₸648

97.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.90

$1.97 ₸921

-23.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.91

$1.97 ₸924

-0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.68

$2.08 ₸971

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.28

$0.61 ₸286

204.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.65

$0.40 ₸186

442.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.58

$1.31 ₸611

-18.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.17

$0.75 ₸349

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$1.49 ₸699

181.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$8.87 ₸4,149

15.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.85

$0.85 ₸396

96.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$2.08 ₸973

19.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.14 ₸67.0

285.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.76 ₸355

307.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.64

$0.67 ₸314

267.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.0

$4.66 ₸2,183

-30.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.82

$0.48 ₸223

162.50%

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

$30.2K MX$522.5K

$23.6K ₸11.0M

28.01%

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

$23.4K MX$406.1K

$26.9K ₸12.6M

-12.91%

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

$84.0 MX$1,455

$62.7 ₸29.3K

33.98%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$8.81 ₸4,125

152.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$13.75 ₸6,436

115.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$33.80 ₸15.8K

55.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$5.31 ₸2,486

-6.78%

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

$198 MX$3,436

$260 ₸121.8K

-23.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$4,887 ₸2.3M

8.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$56.1 ₸26.2K

-35.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$44.08 ₸20.6K

-9.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$97.5 ₸45.6K

-19.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$120 ₸56.2K

-27.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$385 ₸180.2K

153.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,153

$271 ₸126.7K

73.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$644 ₸301.6K

147.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.0K

$432 ₸202.1K

181.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.8K

$1,050 ₸491.5K

283.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$113.9K

$793 ₸371.3K

729.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Qapshaghay: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $385 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $19 in Qapshaghay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $186 – 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 46%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,294 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $863 in Qapshaghay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $260 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 $863, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.