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: $976 in Lomas de Zamora versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Lomas de Zamora versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in Lomas de Zamora versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lomas de Zamora costs roughly 24% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.86 ARS 12.5K

$11.94 MX$208

-25.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.06 ARS 42.3K

$42.75 MX$744

-29.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.27 ARS 13.1K

$10.59 MX$184

-12.46%

Cappuccino

$2.05 ARS 2,883

$3.62 MX$63.0

-43.37%

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

$1.96 ARS 2,755

$1.47 MX$25.54

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ARS 2,140

$0.94 MX$16.41

61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ARS 4,999

$3.09 MX$53.8

14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ARS 5,753

$4.46 MX$77.6

-8.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ARS 1,721

$1.43 MX$24.80

-14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 ARS 2,887

$1.88 MX$32.79

9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 ARS 2,791

$1.63 MX$28.34

21.47%

Eggs

$2.43 ARS 3,423

$2.64 MX$45.99

-7.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.16 ARS 17.1K

$8.21 MX$143

48.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.86 ARS 8,252

$8.29 MX$144

-29.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 ARS 13.1K

$11.10 MX$193

-16.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 ARS 3,626

$2.65 MX$46.14

-2.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 ARS 2,965

$1.50 MX$26.11

40.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ARS 1,822

$1.99 MX$34.59

-35.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 ARS 3,841

$2.08 MX$36.13

31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ARS 2,052

$1.79 MX$31.11

-18.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ARS 1,945

$2.18 MX$37.87

-36.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ARS 1,438

$1.08 MX$18.73

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ARS 2,619

$1.04 MX$18.04

78.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ARS 4,651

$3.97 MX$69.1

-16.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,017

$10.20 MX$178

-51.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ARS 1,829

$1.73 MX$30.04

-24.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ARS 4,449

$2.50 MX$43.46

26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,100

$0.52 MX$9.02

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ARS 41.4K

$26.97 MX$469

9.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.65 ARS 2,320

$3.14 MX$54.7

-47.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,302

$2.40 MX$41.80

-61.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 ARS 8,560

$3.09 MX$53.7

96.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ARS 1,585

$1.27 MX$22.16

-11.02%

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

$24.3K ARS 34.2M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-21.26%

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

$26.4K ARS 37.2M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

13.29%

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

$55.8 ARS 78.6K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-31.91%

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

$18.37 ARS 25.9K

$22.45 MX$391

-18.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.90 ARS 21.0K

$29.66 MX$516

-49.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.10 ARS 36.7K

$51.9 MX$903

-49.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ARS 19.5K

$18.67 MX$325

-25.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.26 ARS 13.0K

$4.97 MX$86.5

86.32%

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

$298 ARS 420.0K

$198 MX$3,442

50.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,430 ARS 4.8M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-34.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 ARS 88.2K

$36.34 MX$632

72.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 ARS 84.8K

$40.05 MX$697

50.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ARS 152.5K

$79.9 MX$1,390

35.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.2 ARS 131.3K

$88.9 MX$1,547

4.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 468.7K

$963 MX$16.8K

-65.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ARS 340.4K

$465 MX$8,086

-47.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 ARS 949.2K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 ARS 759.8K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-55.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ARS 2.9M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-47.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,781 ARS 2.5M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-72.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$692 ARS 974.1K

$720 MX$12.5K

-3.97%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Lomas de Zamora and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Lomas de Zamora vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $251 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 32% in total monthly costs ($976 vs $1,287 including rent). Lomas de Zamora is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $333 in Lomas de Zamora versus $963 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $976 per month in Lomas de Zamora versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $976 in Lomas de Zamora versus $1,287 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 32% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.