😐A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $476 in Quba, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $787 in Quba, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,098 in Quba, rent included.
😐Playa del Carmen costs about 170% more than Quba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Playa del Carmen and Quba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen4% lower, Quba64% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$11.72₼19.93
1.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$32.60₼55.4
31.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$1.15₼1.95
214.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$0.49₼0.84
200.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$0.30₼0.52
213.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$1.32₼2.24
134.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
-
-
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$0.40₼0.68
370.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$1.19₼2.02
36.97%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
-
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$1.73₼2.95
374.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$2.99₼5.08
177.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$9.00₼15.31
23.33%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$0.68₼1.15
289.71%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$1.26₼2.14
19.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$1.78₼3.03
11.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.96₼3.33
6.12%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$0.85₼1.45
110.59%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$0.49₼0.84
344.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
-
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$0.58₼0.98
79.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
-
-
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$10.19₼17.32
0.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$1.26₼2.14
37.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$0.25₼0.42
108.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$1.21₼2.05
159.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.57₼0.97
321.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$2.97₼5.05
4.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$0.63₼1.07
101.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$14.64₼24.89
53.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$14.86₼25.26
99.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$37.66₼64.0
37.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$4.02₼6.83
23.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$17.72₼30.13
105.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$29.94₼50.9
33.77%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$35.15₼59.8
152.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$176₼299
447.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$120₼204
288.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$263₼446
508.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$178₼303
577.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Quba
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
$206₼349
250.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
20
-42.90%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Última actualización para Quba: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $176 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 251% 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: $251 vs $121 – making Quba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Playa del Carmen vs Quba: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Quba cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 170%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $715 in Quba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and Quba?
Groceries cost about 107% 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or Quba?
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.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Quba?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Quba, where all-in costs run around $476, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Quba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Quba more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Quba?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Playa del Carmen vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado