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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,175 per month in Cordoba vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Cordoba vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,516 per month in Cordoba vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Cordoba is about 8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cordoba and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Cordoba 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ARS 14.0K

$11.87 MX$204

-17.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.49 ARS 63.6K

$42.90 MX$736

3.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 ARS 14.5K

$10.65 MX$183

-4.60%

Cappuccino

$2.26 ARS 3,232

$3.45 MX$59.2

-34.49%

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

$1.55 ARS 2,218

$1.50 MX$25.81

3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,133

$0.95 MX$16.28

56.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ARS 3,264

$3.03 MX$51.9

-24.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ARS 4,239

$4.61 MX$79.1

-35.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ARS 2,224

$1.38 MX$23.61

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 ARS 3,422

$1.85 MX$31.70

29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 ARS 2,846

$1.61 MX$27.65

23.60%

Eggs

$2.37 ARS 3,386

$2.59 MX$44.51

-8.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 ARS 13.0K

$8.26 MX$142

9.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 ARS 9,453

$8.37 MX$144

-20.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.46 ARS 13.5K

$10.66 MX$183

-11.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ARS 2,703

$2.63 MX$45.12

-28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 ARS 3,086

$1.49 MX$25.53

44.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,789

$1.92 MX$32.94

-34.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 ARS 3,887

$2.09 MX$35.81

30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 ARS 1,701

$1.86 MX$31.88

-36.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,821

$2.26 MX$38.81

-43.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 ARS 2,185

$1.06 MX$18.23

44.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ARS 2,388

$1.09 MX$18.67

53.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ARS 3,482

$4.15 MX$71.2

-41.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.05 ARS 7,211

$10.39 MX$178

-51.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ARS 2,844

$1.72 MX$29.59

15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ARS 4,203

$2.61 MX$44.85

12.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ARS 1,409

$0.54 MX$9.30

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.8 ARS 81.2K

$26.94 MX$462

110.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ARS 1,642

$3.13 MX$53.7

-63.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 ARS 1,392

$2.51 MX$43.09

-61.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.13 ARS 8,755

$3.15 MX$54.1

94.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,621

$1.27 MX$21.88

-11.02%

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

$26.6K ARS 38.0M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.33%

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

$35.0K ARS 50.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

48.43%

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

$99.3 ARS 141.9K

$83.0 MX$1,425

19.65%

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

$17.15 ARS 24.5K

$22.71 MX$390

-24.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.23 ARS 37.5K

$29.46 MX$506

-10.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.04 ARS 35.8K

$51.0 MX$875

-50.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.55 ARS 33.6K

$18.33 MX$315

28.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

$4.93 MX$84.5

59.23%

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

$184 ARS 262.7K

$197 MX$3,386

-6.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,191 ARS 3.1M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-58.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 ARS 177.0K

$36.90 MX$633

235.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.4 ARS 120.5K

$39.89 MX$685

111.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 ARS 188.5K

$80.0 MX$1,373

64.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 ARS 188.4K

$89.5 MX$1,536

47.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 ARS 620.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

-54.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ARS 450.9K

$477 MX$8,189

-33.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 ARS 1.1M

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-54.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 ARS 813.2K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-53.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,359 ARS 3.4M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-39.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 ARS 2.0M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-78.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 ARS 949.4K

$667 MX$11.4K

-0.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

11.42

412.26%

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

Last update for Cordoba: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Cordoba versus $956 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.

Salaries run about 0% 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 $44.00 in Cordoba versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Cordoba vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Cordoba 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,762 per month in Cordoba and $1,906 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 Cordoba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Cordoba and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,175 in Cordoba and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cordoba, where all-in costs run around $1,175, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Cordoba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cordoba – 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 Cordoba. 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.