Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Quezon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Quezon City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $896 in Quezon City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,374 in Quezon City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,851 in Quezon City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Quezon City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quezon City are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Quezon City 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.84 ₱298

147.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$21.35 ₱1,317

95.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.19 ₱197

236.99%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.86 ₱176

22.38%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.95 ₱58.4

52.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.35 ₱21.40

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.27 ₱78.2

132.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.58 ₱159

74.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.17 ₱134

-34.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.22 ₱75.2

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.07 ₱65.8

46.73%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.99 ₱123

26.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.14 ₱440

15.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.13 ₱255

104.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.00 ₱432

52.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$4.42 ₱273

-40.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.59 ₱97.9

-9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.96 ₱183

-33.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.63 ₱100

28.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$2.77 ₱171

-33.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$4.20 ₱259

-48.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.59 ₱98.0

-35.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.05 ₱64.8

1.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.20 ₱197

28.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.80 ₱481

30.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.54 ₱95.1

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.99 ₱123

27.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.46 ₱28.35

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.76 ₱47.14

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.25 ₱15.38

864.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.09 ₱129

54.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.14 ₱70.0

15.79%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$25.2K ₱1.6M

17.82%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$20.7K ₱1.3M

14.36%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$167 ₱10.3K

-50.84%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$33.45 ₱2,063

-31.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$29.64 ₱1,828

1.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$24.65 ₱1,520

110.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.14 ₱379

201.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.00 ₱432

-28.86%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$82.6 ₱5,097

138.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,782 ₱171.6K

91.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$31.68 ₱1,954

12.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$29.16 ₱1,798

38.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$99.2 ₱6,115

-20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$93.9 ₱5,789

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$271 ₱16.7K

248.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$197 ₱12.1K

141.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$716 ₱44.2K

129.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$421 ₱26.0K

187.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,356 ₱145.3K

72.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,447 ₱89.3K

346.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$447 ₱27.6K

46.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.13

40.47%

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 Quezon City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $271 in Quezon City. 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 46% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $21.00 in Quezon City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $224 – making Quezon City 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 Quezon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,345 in Quezon City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quezon City, 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 $896 in Quezon City. 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 $82.6 in Quezon City. 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 Quezon City, where all-in costs run around $896, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Quezon City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quezon City – 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 Quezon City. 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.