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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,441 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,740 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Quetzaltenango is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Quetzaltenango and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 16% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 Q 50.7

$11.60 MX$200

-42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 Q 377

$47.11 MX$812

4.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 Q 60.7

$11.88 MX$205

-32.91%

Cappuccino

$3.44 Q 26.19

$3.98 MX$68.6

-13.57%

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

$1.12 Q 8.53

$1.43 MX$24.60

-21.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Q 6.31

$0.82 MX$14.22

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 Q 24.57

$3.19 MX$55.0

0.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 Q 36.96

$6.79 MX$117

-28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 Q 15.53

$1.68 MX$28.89

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Q 20.07

$2.20 MX$37.88

19.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Q 15.89

$1.71 MX$29.45

21.64%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.27

$2.74 MX$47.26

-7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 Q 46.91

$9.58 MX$165

-35.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 Q 61.2

$9.01 MX$155

-10.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 Q 98.9

$12.81 MX$221

1.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 Q 22.61

$2.89 MX$49.81

2.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 Q 13.01

$1.50 MX$25.81

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 Q 21.89

$2.15 MX$37.03

33.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 Q 12.44

$2.26 MX$38.96

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 Q 11.37

$1.98 MX$34.15

-24.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 Q 16.53

$1.99 MX$34.30

9.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 Q 5.52

$1.23 MX$21.28

-41.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.10

$1.20 MX$20.63

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Q 24.66

$4.55 MX$78.5

-28.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 Q 61.0

$10.37 MX$179

-22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Q 13.51

$1.62 MX$27.91

9.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 Q 19.74

$2.88 MX$49.67

-10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 Q 39.58

$5.39 MX$92.9

-3.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 Q 13.34

$3.73 MX$64.3

-53.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.50 Q 80.0

$5.77 MX$99.5

81.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 Q 9.37

$1.54 MX$26.48

-20.13%

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

$27.1K Q 206.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

20.10%

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

$25.7K Q 195.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-1.41%

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

$76.9 Q 586

$91.4 MX$1,576

-15.86%

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

$13.02 Q 99.2

$25.20 MX$435

-48.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.27 Q 345

$31.24 MX$539

44.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 Q 246

$67.2 MX$1,159

-51.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 Q 49.79

$4.86 MX$83.8

34.36%

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

$335 Q 2,556

$224 MX$3,856

49.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,666 Q 50.8K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

57.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.89 Q 365

$47.10 MX$812

1.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 Q 357

$44.29 MX$764

5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 Q 822

$80.1 MX$1,381

34.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 Q 851

$92.7 MX$1,598

20.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 Q 3,021

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-62.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 Q 3,024

$390 MX$6,728

1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

11.45

1.48%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Quetzaltenango versus $1,063 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 $49.00 in Quetzaltenango versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $264 in Quetzaltenango vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Quetzaltenango 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,714 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,899 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 Quetzaltenango, 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 $1,143 in Quetzaltenango and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $335 per month in Quetzaltenango and $224 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 Quetzaltenango, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Quetzaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quetzaltenango – 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 Quetzaltenango. 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.