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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,068 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,643 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,219 in Quellón, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Quellón, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quellón are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Quellón 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.67 CLP 7,795

36.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$45.26 CLP 40.7K

-5.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.85 CLP 7,051

35.67%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.73 CLP 2,451

26.37%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.36 CLP 1,222

10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.05 CLP 944

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.20 CLP 2,878

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.11 CLP 3,698

12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.18 CLP 1,059

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.52 CLP 1,364

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.95 CLP 1,752

-17.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.57 CLP 3,206

-27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.55 CLP 9,480

-21.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.77 CLP 6,083

23.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.97 CLP 9,861

-2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.89 CLP 1,696

39.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.57 CLP 1,411

-5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.54 CLP 1,385

24.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.51 CLP 1,357

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.29 CLP 1,161

44.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.37 CLP 1,227

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.21 CLP 1,089

-12.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.22 CLP 1,099

-10.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.45 CLP 4,901

-23.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.85 CLP 5,261

77.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.61 CLP 1,449

6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.24 CLP 2,014

16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.58 CLP 522

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.50 CLP 450

526.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.39 CLP 1,245

-8.63%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.9K CLP 17.9M

52.59%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.3K CLP 19.1M

10.65%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$133 CLP 119.8K

-37.73%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.37 CLP 12.0K

69.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$21.85 CLP 19.6K

34.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$39.16 CLP 35.2K

30.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.09 CLP 19.0K

-13.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.56 CLP 4,996

-11.33%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$434 CLP 390.1K

-54.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$51.5 CLP 46.2K

-28.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.56 CLP 27.5K

30.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$61.3 CLP 55.1K

30.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$81.3 CLP 73.0K

10.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$480 CLP 431.0K

99.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$366 CLP 329.0K

30.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$870 CLP 781.9K

89.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$591 CLP 530.7K

107.39%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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 Quellón: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $480 in Quellón. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Quellón. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $230 in Quellón – so Quellón wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Quellón: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,601 in Quellón. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quellón, 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,068 in Quellón. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $434 in Quellón. 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 Quellón, where all-in costs run around $1,068, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Quellón it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quellón – 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 Quellón. 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.