Cost of Living Comparison Between Lomas de Zamora and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lomas de Zamora and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $967 in Lomas de Zamora versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,558 in Lomas de Zamora versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,149 in Lomas de Zamora versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lomas de Zamora costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lomas de Zamora 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.95 ARS 13.4K

$11.72 MX$204

-23.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.38 ARS 45.4K

$41.89 MX$731

-27.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 ARS 13.2K

$10.51 MX$183

-15.98%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ARS 2,922

$3.59 MX$62.5

-45.68%

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

$1.97 ARS 2,946

$1.51 MX$26.31

30.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ARS 2,288

$0.92 MX$15.96

66.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 ARS 5,280

$2.96 MX$51.6

19.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 ARS 5,880

$4.41 MX$76.9

-10.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ARS 1,911

$1.40 MX$24.35

-8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ARS 2,923

$1.88 MX$32.87

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 ARS 3,013

$1.56 MX$27.19

29.49%

Eggs

$2.38 ARS 3,561

$2.61 MX$45.50

-8.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 ARS 18.4K

$8.32 MX$145

47.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 ARS 9,013

$8.35 MX$146

-27.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 ARS 14.3K

$10.86 MX$189

-11.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,668

$2.71 MX$47.31

-9.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 ARS 3,133

$1.51 MX$26.25

39.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ARS 1,941

$1.87 MX$32.67

-30.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 ARS 3,944

$2.19 MX$38.19

20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ARS 2,257

$1.86 MX$32.40

-18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ARS 2,056

$2.23 MX$38.90

-38.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ARS 1,537

$1.07 MX$18.63

-3.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 ARS 2,704

$1.09 MX$18.94

66.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,758

$4.19 MX$73.0

-24.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 ARS 8,834

$10.43 MX$182

-43.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ARS 1,937

$1.66 MX$28.91

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ARS 4,712

$2.61 MX$45.56

20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ARS 1,241

$0.54 MX$9.45

53.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.49 ARS 44.1K

$26.16 MX$456

12.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ARS 2,331

$3.08 MX$53.7

-49.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 ARS 1,384

$2.40 MX$41.94

-61.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 ARS 8,955

$3.13 MX$54.5

91.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ARS 1,754

$1.31 MX$22.87

-10.69%

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

$24.1K ARS 36.0M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-19.10%

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

$26.5K ARS 39.6M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

13.58%

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

$55.2 ARS 82.5K

$81.3 MX$1,418

-32.11%

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

$18.25 ARS 27.3K

$22.56 MX$393

-19.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.20 ARS 22.7K

$30.05 MX$524

-49.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.30 ARS 39.3K

$52.9 MX$923

-50.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.66 ARS 20.4K

$18.39 MX$321

-25.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ARS 13.4K

$4.92 MX$85.8

81.91%

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

$297 ARS 444.7K

$201 MX$3,502

48.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,536 ARS 5.3M

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-31.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 ARS 91.4K

$35.92 MX$627

70.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 ARS 89.4K

$40.13 MX$700

49.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 ARS 162.8K

$79.7 MX$1,390

36.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ARS 139.8K

$86.5 MX$1,508

8.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 ARS 503.2K

$978 MX$17.1K

-65.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 347.8K

$470 MX$8,206

-50.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 ARS 1.0M

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-59.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ARS 809.3K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-55.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 ARS 3.5M

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-41.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 ARS 2.3M

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-76.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$696 ARS 1.0M

$677 MX$11.8K

2.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

11.42

361.56%

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

Last update for Lomas de Zamora: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Lomas de Zamora and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lomas de Zamora pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Lomas de Zamora vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $252 per month, with Lomas de Zamora cheaper across the board.

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

Lomas de Zamora vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lomas de Zamora and Playa del Carmen differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($967 vs $1,260 including rent). Lomas de Zamora is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Lomas de Zamora, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $337 in Lomas de Zamora versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lomas de Zamora – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $967 per month in Lomas de Zamora versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $967 in Lomas de Zamora versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lomas de Zamora but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Lomas de Zamora the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lomas de Zamora and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lomas de Zamora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.