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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,069 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,633 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,197 in Quellón, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 18% more than Quellón, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quellón are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Quellón 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$8.61 CLP 8,033

36.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$44.10 CLP 41.1K

-5.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.19 CLP 7,638

28.33%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.84 CLP 2,650

26.41%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.29 CLP 1,207

17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.03 CLP 960

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$3.31 CLP 3,090

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$4.23 CLP 3,945

4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.20 CLP 1,119

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.55 CLP 1,447

21.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.89 CLP 1,762

-17.46%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.51 CLP 3,274

-25.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$10.55 CLP 9,842

-21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.81 CLP 6,349

22.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$10.80 CLP 10.1K

0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.90 CLP 1,768

42.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.56 CLP 1,452

-3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.58 CLP 1,477

18.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.52 CLP 1,420

44.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.23 CLP 1,148

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.36 CLP 1,267

63.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.27 CLP 1,184

-15.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.23 CLP 1,148

-11.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$5.46 CLP 5,094

-23.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$5.90 CLP 5,499

76.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.63 CLP 1,517

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.30 CLP 2,143

13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.57 CLP 533

-5.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.47 CLP 440

555.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.38 CLP 1,288

-5.07%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

51.76%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$21.8K CLP 20.3M

7.22%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$130 CLP 121.2K

-37.42%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$13.48 CLP 12.6K

67.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$21.70 CLP 20.2K

38.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$39.07 CLP 36.4K

35.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$21.39 CLP 20.0K

-14.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.75 CLP 5,362

-14.43%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$438 CLP 408.7K

-54.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$50.1 CLP 46.7K

-28.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$30.03 CLP 28.0K

33.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$60.5 CLP 56.4K

31.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$84.0 CLP 78.3K

2.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$483 CLP 450.8K

102.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$377 CLP 351.2K

24.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$882 CLP 822.4K

87.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$586 CLP 546.6K

105.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Quellón: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $483 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Quellón. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $231 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 18%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,603 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,069 in Quellón. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $438 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 $1,069, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.