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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $641 in Qebele, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,131 in Qebele, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,621 in Qebele, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 98% more than Qebele, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qebele are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Qebele 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.77 ₼8.10

143.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$17.95 ₼30.50

162.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.53 ₼4.31

57.31%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.61 ₼1.03

134.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.30 ₼0.51

173.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.15 ₼1.95

177.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.76 ₼2.99

285.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.29 ₼2.19

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.50 ₼0.86

340.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.38 ₼2.34

23.91%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.44 ₼2.44

90.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$5.69 ₼9.66

68.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.81 ₼6.48

136.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.98 ₼18.65

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$0.90 ₼1.53

221.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.89 ₼3.22

-20.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.76 ₼2.99

22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.57 ₼2.67

43.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.52 ₼0.88

280.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.36 ₼0.62

452.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.52 ₼0.88

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.54 ₼4.32

79.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$8.20 ₼13.93

26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.62 ₼2.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.47 ₼4.21

16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.28 ₼0.47

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$59.3 ₼101

-51.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.15 ₼3.66

150.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.25 ₼0.43

1392.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.19 ₼2.03

384.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.62 ₼1.06

148.39%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$12.9K ₼21.8K

75.47%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$14.6K ₼24.8K

78.74%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

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

$25.20 MX$434

$14.95 ₼25.41

68.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$14.88 ₼25.29

109.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$17.89 ₼30.40

275.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$29.83 ₼50.7

-2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

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

$224 MX$3,851

$145 ₼247

53.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$23.98 ₼40.76

96.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$46.77 ₼79.5

-5.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$88.5 ₼150

-9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$117 ₼200

-21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$206 ₼350

416.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$148 ₼251

164.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$995 ₼1,691

115.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$463 ₼787

174.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$698 ₼1,186

473.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$291 ₼495

2132.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$235 ₼399

223.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-18.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Qebele: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $206 in Qebele. 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 223% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Qebele. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $167 – making Qebele 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 Qebele: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 98%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $961 in Qebele. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qebele, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $641 in Qebele. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Qebele. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qebele, where all-in costs run around $641, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Qebele it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Qebele. 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.