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 $1,069 per month in Quellón vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,633 per month in Quellón vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,197 per month in Quellón vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Quellón is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Quellón and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Quellón 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 CLP 8,033

$11.72 MX$204

-26.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.10 CLP 41.1K

$41.89 MX$731

5.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 CLP 7,638

$10.51 MX$183

-22.07%

Cappuccino

$2.84 CLP 2,650

$3.59 MX$62.5

-20.89%

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

$1.29 CLP 1,207

$1.51 MX$26.31

-14.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 960

$0.92 MX$15.96

11.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 CLP 3,090

$2.96 MX$51.6

11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 CLP 3,945

$4.41 MX$76.9

-4.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,119

$1.40 MX$24.35

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 CLP 1,447

$1.88 MX$32.87

-17.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 CLP 1,762

$1.56 MX$27.19

21.15%

Eggs

$3.51 CLP 3,274

$2.61 MX$45.50

34.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CLP 9,842

$8.32 MX$145

26.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 CLP 6,349

$8.35 MX$146

-18.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 CLP 10.1K

$10.86 MX$189

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CLP 1,768

$2.71 MX$47.31

-29.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CLP 1,452

$1.51 MX$26.25

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,477

$1.87 MX$32.67

-15.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,420

$2.19 MX$38.19

-30.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 CLP 1,148

$1.86 MX$32.40

-33.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 CLP 1,267

$2.23 MX$38.90

-39.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,184

$1.07 MX$18.63

18.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CLP 1,148

$1.09 MX$18.94

12.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 CLP 5,094

$4.19 MX$73.0

30.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 CLP 5,499

$10.43 MX$182

-43.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CLP 1,517

$1.66 MX$28.91

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 CLP 2,143

$2.61 MX$45.56

-11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 CLP 533

$0.54 MX$9.45

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 CLP 440

$3.08 MX$53.7

-84.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CLP 1,288

$1.31 MX$22.87

5.34%

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

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-34.11%

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

$21.8K CLP 20.3M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

-6.73%

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

$130 CLP 121.2K

$81.3 MX$1,418

59.81%

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

$13.48 CLP 12.6K

$22.56 MX$393

-40.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.70 CLP 20.2K

$30.05 MX$524

-27.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 CLP 36.4K

$52.9 MX$923

-26.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.39 CLP 20.0K

$18.39 MX$321

16.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 CLP 5,362

$4.92 MX$85.8

16.87%

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

$438 CLP 408.7K

$201 MX$3,502

118.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 CLP 46.7K

$35.92 MX$627

39.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.03 CLP 28.0K

$40.13 MX$700

-25.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 CLP 56.4K

$79.7 MX$1,390

-24.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 CLP 78.3K

$86.5 MX$1,508

-2.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 CLP 450.8K

$978 MX$17.1K

-50.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 CLP 351.2K

$470 MX$8,206

-19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$882 CLP 822.4K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-46.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 CLP 546.6K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-51.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

11.42

-54.64%

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

Last update for Quellón: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $483 in Quellón 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 $44.00 in Quellón versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Quellón vs $252 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 18%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,603 per month in Quellón 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 Quellón, 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 $1,069 in Quellón and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $438 per month in Quellón and $201 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Quellón, where all-in costs run around $1,069, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.