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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,075 in Quellón, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,663 in Quellón, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,251 in Quellón, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Quellón, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quellón are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Quellón 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.54 CLP 7,592

39.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$44.87 CLP 39.9K

-4.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.06 CLP 7,166

31.39%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.86 CLP 2,539

26.57%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.29 CLP 1,150

13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.01 CLP 900

-6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.30 CLP 2,933

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.21 CLP 3,746

5.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.19 CLP 1,058

20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.57 CLP 1,392

19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.96 CLP 1,740

-16.84%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.61 CLP 3,208

-26.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.45 CLP 9,291

-21.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.50 CLP 5,783

27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.83 CLP 9,626

2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.87 CLP 1,665

41.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.50 CLP 1,338

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.59 CLP 1,414

25.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.46 CLP 1,301

42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.23 CLP 1,094

45.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.41 CLP 1,253

54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.25 CLP 1,112

-13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.17 CLP 1,043

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.41 CLP 4,811

-26.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.23 CLP 9,093

-0.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.62 CLP 1,440

6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.33 CLP 2,076

7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.61 CLP 543

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.48 CLP 425

554.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.38 CLP 1,223

-7.97%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

56.63%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.1K CLP 18.8M

10.26%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$130 CLP 115.3K

-36.75%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.31 CLP 11.8K

68.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$22.35 CLP 19.9K

32.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$38.25 CLP 34.0K

35.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$21.49 CLP 19.1K

-13.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.52 CLP 4,910

-9.96%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$428 CLP 380.8K

-53.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$50.3 CLP 44.8K

-27.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.11 CLP 26.8K

33.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$61.1 CLP 54.3K

30.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$83.4 CLP 74.1K

6.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$480 CLP 426.5K

100.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$369 CLP 328.1K

25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$870 CLP 773.2K

83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$593 CLP 527.2K

103.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Quellón: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $237 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 20%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,612 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,075 in Quellón. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $428 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 $1,075, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.