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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $867 in Quezon City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,374 in Quezon City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,881 in Quezon City, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% 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 5% lower, Quezon City 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.50 ₱282

165.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$19.32 ₱1,211

145.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.85 ₱179

312.28%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.74 ₱172

50.36%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.75 ₱46.72

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.27 ₱16.69

237.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.46 ₱91.7

119.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.75 ₱172

157.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.67 ₱104

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.17 ₱73.4

83.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.90 ₱56.4

96.67%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.83 ₱115

54.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.89 ₱432

33.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.06 ₱255

127.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.29 ₱457

73.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.03 ₱253

-26.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.38 ₱86.4

14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.58 ₱224

-37.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.14 ₱71.2

107.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$2.27 ₱142

-12.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$3.32 ₱208

-40.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.38 ₱86.5

-10.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.93 ₱58.1

30.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.81 ₱176

63.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.70 ₱483

36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.36 ₱85.2

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.85 ₱116

49.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.37 ₱23.07

62.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$19.09 ₱1,197

55.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.84 ₱52.4

523.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.23 ₱14.45

1486.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$2.61 ₱164

121.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.19 ₱74.5

29.41%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.0K ₱1.3M

8.83%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$18.9K ₱1.2M

36.30%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$165 ₱10.4K

-45.20%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$14.64 ₱918

72.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$25.14 ₱1,576

26.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$39.02 ₱2,446

76.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$3.28 ₱206

795.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.13 ₱447

-31.84%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$74.2 ₱4,650

204.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$2,512 ₱157.5K

66.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$35.27 ₱2,211

34.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$22.88 ₱1,435

89.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$77.6 ₱4,863

3.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$76.2 ₱4,776

19.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$313 ₱19.6K

246.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$185 ₱11.6K

120.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$744 ₱46.6K

165.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$530 ₱33.2K

141.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,327 ₱145.9K

73.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,409 ₱88.3K

375.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$437 ₱27.4K

76.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $313 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 77% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Quezon City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $206 – 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 50%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,301 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $867 in Quezon City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Quezon City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quezon City, where all-in costs run around $867, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.