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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $581 per month in Quellón vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $989 per month in Quellón vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,397 per month in Quellón vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Quellón is about 55% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Quellón and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Quellón 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 CLP 49.7K

$47.38 MX$805

11.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

Cappuccino

$2.70 CLP 2,539

$4.12 MX$70.1

-34.47%

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

$1.29 CLP 1,216

$1.40 MX$23.78

-7.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 CLP 770

$0.91 MX$15.50

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 CLP 3,038

$3.21 MX$54.5

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CLP 3,070

$7.07 MX$120

-53.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 CLP 1,188

$1.68 MX$28.49

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 CLP 1,023

$2.15 MX$36.53

-49.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 CLP 1,998

$1.77 MX$30.14

19.77%

Eggs

$2.97 CLP 2,795

$2.82 MX$47.83

5.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.27 CLP 5,899

$9.20 MX$156

-31.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,835

$2.95 MX$50.1

-33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CLP 2,170

$1.58 MX$26.83

46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 CLP 3,597

$2.22 MX$37.76

72.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 CLP 1,840

$2.36 MX$40.15

-16.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 CLP 1,030

$1.99 MX$33.86

-45.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 CLP 1,966

$1.98 MX$33.63

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 CLP 986

$1.24 MX$21.07

-15.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 CLP 2,066

$1.21 MX$20.58

80.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 CLP 8,946

$10.52 MX$179

-9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 CLP 2,694

$1.69 MX$28.74

69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 CLP 1,787

$2.77 MX$47.13

-31.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 CLP 465

$0.60 MX$10.24

-18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 CLP 3,077

$5.24 MX$89.0

-37.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,288

$1.54 MX$26.13

-11.04%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

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

$25.19 MX$428

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.71 CLP 30.8K

$31.75 MX$539

3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 CLP 50.9K

$68.8 MX$1,169

-21.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

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

$226 MX$3,834

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.06 CLP 25.5K

$47.38 MX$805

-42.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 CLP 49.6K

$80.2 MX$1,363

-34.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$268 CLP 252.3K

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-75.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 CLP 197.9K

$409 MX$6,943

-48.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 CLP 402.3K

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-78.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 CLP 351.9K

$1,281 MX$21.8K

-70.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Quellón: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $268 in Quellón versus $1,086 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 $53.0 in Quellón versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $186 in Quellón vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 125%, 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 $871 per month in Quellón and $1,958 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 Quellón, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Quellón and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quellón, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.