Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Queluz

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,642 in Queluz, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Queluz, Portugal
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Queluz
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,642
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Queluz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Queluz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,642 in Queluz, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Queluz $1,642

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,483 in Queluz, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Queluz $2,483

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,324 in Queluz, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Queluz $3,324

Playa del Carmen is about 27% cheaper than Queluz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Queluz is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$205
$13.29 €11.90
-17.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$814
$27.56 €24.68
57.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$221
$6.73 €6.03
75.04%
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.5
$0.83 €0.74
359.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$24.07
$1.70 €1.53
-24.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.70
$1.09 €0.98
-28.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.5
$1.13 €1.01
180.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.7
$2.25 €2.02
119.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.40
$1.34 €1.20
5.22%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.62
$1.35 €1.21
64.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.61
$1.63 €1.46
-12.88%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.36
$4.18 €3.74
-39.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$136
$16.87 €15.11
-56.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$144
$7.72 €6.91
-0.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$238
$27.38 €24.52
-53.65%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$52.3
$3.10 €2.78
-10.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.68
$1.33 €1.19
3.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.89
$1.71 €1.53
49.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.86
$2.24 €2.01
-5.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.39
$2.03 €1.82
-4.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.41
$2.01 €1.80
-5.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.53
$1.73 €1.55
-33.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$22.13
$0.97 €0.87
21.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.6
$8.47 €7.59
-49.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$187
$5.97 €5.35
66.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.73
$1.02 €0.91
54.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$50.1
$1.59 €1.42
67.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.39
$2.44 €2.19
-77.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$500
$42.93 €38.44
-37.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$93.3
$3.59 €3.22
38.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.5
$0.89 €0.80
274.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$101
$15.90 €14.24
-66.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$27.11
$2.17 €1.94
-33.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$388.0K
$33.9K €30.4K
-39.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$440.5K
$37.5K €33.6K
-37.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,592
$150 €134
-43.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$439
$21.01 €18.81
11.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$538
$56.6 €50.7
-49.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,071
$34.73 €31.11
64.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$543
$18.55 €16.61
55.85%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$96.5
$8.83 €7.91
-41.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,878
$659 €590
-68.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.7K
$15.4K €13.8K
-74.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$814
$78.5 €70.3
-44.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$778
$55.8 €49.99
-25.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,393
$78.5 €70.3
-5.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,676
$67.4 €60.4
32.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.4K
$892 €799
9.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,150
$706 €632
-46.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$32.1K
$1,467 €1,314
16.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.2K
$1,328 €1,190
-19.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$74.0K
$2,903 €2,600
35.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$115.6K
$2,292 €2,053
168.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Queluz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
4.65
146.24%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Queluz: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Queluz
$706 85.3% $325
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Queluz
$312 22.4% $57
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Queluz
$158 22% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Queluz
$227 66.1% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Queluz
$126 12.9% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Queluz
$52 22.2% $15
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Queluz
$61 20.4% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $892 in Queluz. 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $28 in Queluz. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Playa del Carmen vs $312 in Queluz – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇵🇹 Queluz
🕒 Local time
21:46 9:46 PM
02:46 2:46 AM
5 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
75,169
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Queluz 7,560 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Queluz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Queluz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Queluz?
Yes – Queluz is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,463 in Queluz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Queluz?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $892 in Queluz. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Queluz?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,642 in Queluz. That makes Playa del Carmen about 27% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 38% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Queluz?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Queluz at $1,642. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Queluz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Queluz?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,642 in Queluz. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?