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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $478 in Quba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $778 in Quba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,079 in Quba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 166% more than Quba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Quba 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$11.98 ₼20.36

-0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.91 ₼55.9

30.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.21 ₼2.05

185.12%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.46 ₼0.78

226.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.28 ₼0.47

239.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.32 ₼2.24

129.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.39 ₼0.67

374.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.19 ₼2.03

35.29%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$1.78 ₼3.03

364.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.88 ₼4.89

190.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.69 ₼14.77

22.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.73 ₼1.24

260.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.32 ₼2.25

12.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.78 ₼3.02

7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.89 ₼3.21

10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.87 ₼1.48

113.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.49 ₼0.84

361.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.60 ₼1.02

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.04 ₼17.06

3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.27 ₼2.17

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.27 ₼0.46

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.15 ₼1.95

172.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.56 ₼0.95

348.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.97 ₼5.05

6.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.62 ₼1.06

104.84%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

$14.61 ₼24.82

55.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$14.91 ₼25.34

97.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$38.53 ₼65.5

32.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.07 ₼6.92

21.13%

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$17.45 ₼29.66

111.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$29.10 ₼49.45

37.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$35.67 ₼60.6

150.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$177 ₼300

440.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$117 ₼198

308.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$264 ₼448

523.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$174 ₼295

605.14%

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

$203 ₼345

228.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-42.90%

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 Quba: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $177 in Quba. 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 228% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Quba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $120 – making Quba 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 Quba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 166%, 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 $717 in Quba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 108% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $33.00 in Quba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Quba, where all-in costs run around $478, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Quba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quba – 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 Quba. 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.