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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,721 in Queenstown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,293 in Queenstown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,865 in Queenstown, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Queenstown, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Queenstown is 104% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$15.10 NZ$25.86

-20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$84.2 NZ$144

-50.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$9.83 NZ$16.83

9.36%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$3.42 NZ$5.86

2.34%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.36 NZ$4.04

-38.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$2.33 NZ$3.99

-62.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$7.16 NZ$12.25

-58.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$6.12 NZ$10.48

-26.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$2.17 NZ$3.71

-34.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$2.09 NZ$3.58

-11.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.42 NZ$4.15

-35.12%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$6.60 NZ$11.31

-61.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$9.98 NZ$17.09

-17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$10.66 NZ$18.26

-20.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$16.55 NZ$28.34

-35.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.12 NZ$5.34

-16.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.51 NZ$4.30

-42.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$4.00 NZ$6.85

-51.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$5.94 NZ$10.17

-64.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$2.58 NZ$4.41

-28.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.27 NZ$3.89

-4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$2.82 NZ$4.82

-63.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.11 NZ$1.91

-3.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$28.36 NZ$48.56

-85.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$9.73 NZ$16.67

4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$4.73 NZ$8.10

-64.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$7.10 NZ$12.16

-64.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.73 NZ$4.67

-81.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$128 NZ$219

-79.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.85 NZ$4.88

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.87 NZ$3.19

28.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$31.84 NZ$54.5

-89.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.67 NZ$2.86

-20.96%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$29.7K NZ$50.8K

0.04%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$17.8K NZ$30.5K

32.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$283 NZ$485

-71.06%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$40.99 NZ$70.2

-44.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$64.0 NZ$110

-52.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$58.7 NZ$101

-11.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$24.66 NZ$42.22

-24.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$13.46 NZ$23.04

-63.00%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$498 NZ$853

-60.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$7,085 NZ$12.1K

-24.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$87.2 NZ$149

-59.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$49.34 NZ$84.5

-18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$97.7 NZ$167

-19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$283 NZ$484

-68.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$1,491 NZ$2,553

-36.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$1,270 NZ$2,175

-62.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$3,030 NZ$5,188

-45.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$2,587 NZ$4,430

-53.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$7,658 NZ$13.1K

-47.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$5,369 NZ$9,193

20.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$3,095 NZ$5,300

-78.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.74

69.44%

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 Queenstown: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,491 in Queenstown. 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 373% higher in Queenstown, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $84.0 in Queenstown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $382 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Queenstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Queenstown is pricier by about 117%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,082 in Queenstown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,721 in Queenstown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 392% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Queenstown at $2,721. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Queenstown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Queenstown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.