Cost of Living Comparison Between Qalqilya and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Qalqilya and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $873 per month in Qalqilya vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,301 per month in Qalqilya vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,730 per month in Qalqilya vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qalqilya is about 31% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Qalqilya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Qalqilya 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 ₪15.46

$11.72 MX$203

-56.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.93 ₪69.9

$41.89 MX$726

-45.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.57 ₪23.06

$10.51 MX$182

-27.97%

Cappuccino

$1.40 ₪4.26

$3.59 MX$62.1

-61.00%

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

$0.68 ₪2.08

$1.51 MX$26.13

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ₪1.87

$0.92 MX$15.86

-33.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 ₪9.49

$2.96 MX$51.2

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₪10.47

$4.41 MX$76.4

-22.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ₪6.48

$1.40 MX$24.19

52.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 ₪3.38

$1.88 MX$32.65

-40.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ₪6.39

$1.56 MX$27.01

34.62%

Eggs

$2.14 ₪6.52

$2.61 MX$45.20

-18.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 ₪15.71

$8.32 MX$144

-37.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 ₪22.96

$8.35 MX$145

-9.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 ₪32.39

$10.86 MX$188

-2.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 ₪5.03

$2.71 MX$47.00

-39.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ₪3.60

$1.51 MX$26.08

-21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₪2.94

$1.87 MX$32.46

-48.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ₪4.34

$2.19 MX$37.94

-35.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₪3.29

$1.86 MX$32.18

-41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ₪4.19

$2.23 MX$38.64

-38.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ₪4.16

$1.07 MX$18.51

28.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ₪2.67

$1.09 MX$18.82

-19.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 ₪21.83

$4.19 MX$72.5

70.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₪8.48

$1.66 MX$28.72

67.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₪7.58

$2.61 MX$45.26

-4.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 ₪3.79

$0.54 MX$9.39

131.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 ₪170

$26.16 MX$453

113.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 ₪7.60

$3.08 MX$53.3

-19.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 ₪7.52

$2.40 MX$41.66

2.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.33 ₪43.65

$3.13 MX$54.2

357.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 ₪6.10

$1.31 MX$22.72

52.67%

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

$38.7K ₪117.9K

$29.8K MX$516.4K

29.80%

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

$39.1K ₪119.0K

$23.3K MX$404.1K

67.53%

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

$86.0 ₪262

$81.3 MX$1,408

5.78%

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

$16.63 ₪50.7

$22.56 MX$391

-26.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.44 ₪92.7

$30.05 MX$521

1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.10 ₪73.4

$52.9 MX$917

-54.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 ₪31.45

$18.39 MX$319

-43.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 ₪19.02

$4.92 MX$85.2

26.83%

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

$171 ₪520

$201 MX$3,479

-15.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,803 ₪8,538

$5,175 MX$89.7K

-45.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.08 ₪131

$35.92 MX$622

19.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.82 ₪118

$40.13 MX$695

-3.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ₪224

$79.7 MX$1,381

-7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.1 ₪192

$86.5 MX$1,498

-26.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 ₪1,059

$978 MX$16.9K

-64.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₪729

$470 MX$8,152

-49.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 ₪1,610

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-68.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₪951

$1,203 MX$20.9K

-74.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-56.22%

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

Last update for Qalqilya: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Qalqilya versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $23.00 in Qalqilya versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $252 – making Qalqilya 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

Qalqilya vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,309 per month in Qalqilya and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qalqilya, 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 $873 in Qalqilya and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 113% less in Qalqilya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qalqilya, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Qalqilya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qalqilya – 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 Qalqilya. 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.