Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Mar del Plata and Playa del Carmen

🙂 Solo nomad: Mar del Plata is 19.6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 33% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Mar del Plata is 18.6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 33% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.84 ARS 14.3K
$11.85 MX$212
-16.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.86 ARS 55.0K
$42.16 MX$755
-10.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.39 ARS 12.2K
$10.75 MX$192
-21.95%
Cappuccino
$2.42 ARS 3,513
$3.47 MX$62.2
-30.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 ARS 3,188
$1.45 MX$26.01
51.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 ARS 3,103
$0.90 MX$16.16
137.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.32 ARS 4,822
$3.05 MX$54.7
8.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 ARS 4,605
$4.42 MX$79.1
-28.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 ARS 1,588
$1.37 MX$24.51
-20.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ARS 2,083
$1.87 MX$33.51
-23.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 ARS 3,152
$1.54 MX$27.63
40.91%
Eggs
$1.58 ARS 2,295
$2.50 MX$44.81
-36.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.74 ARS 9,789
$8.61 MX$154
-21.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.20 ARS 7,558
$8.63 MX$155
-39.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.44 ARS 10.8K
$11.02 MX$197
-32.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.82 ARS 4,099
$2.75 MX$49.22
2.55%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 ARS 3,208
$1.43 MX$25.56
54.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 ARS 2,167
$1.87 MX$33.52
-20.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.44 ARS 3,541
$2.17 MX$38.80
12.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 ARS 1,831
$1.88 MX$33.70
-32.98%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 ARS 1,356
$2.25 MX$40.21
-58.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ARS 981
$1.07 MX$19.11
-36.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 ARS 1,702
$1.07 MX$19.22
9.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.59 ARS 5,211
$4.15 MX$74.4
-13.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.05 ARS 7,332
$10.34 MX$185
-51.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 ARS 2,009
$1.68 MX$30.06
-17.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 ARS 2,840
$2.48 MX$44.46
-20.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.73 ARS 1,055
$0.55 MX$9.93
32.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.13 ARS 14.7K
$26.53 MX$475
-61.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.46 ARS 2,121
$3.22 MX$57.6
-54.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 ARS 1,106
$2.48 MX$44.42
-69.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.80 ARS 11.3K
$3.11 MX$55.7
150.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 ARS 1,659
$1.26 MX$22.48
-9.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ARS 40.2M
$30.7K MX$548.8K
-9.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.5K ARS 57.3M
$24.0K MX$430.3K
64.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$86.1 ARS 125.0K
$82.5 MX$1,476
4.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.36 ARS 15.0K
$22.29 MX$399
-53.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.98 ARS 36.3K
$30.02 MX$537
-16.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$17.60 ARS 25.6K
$51.4 MX$921
-65.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.24 ARS 12.0K
$18.29 MX$327
-54.95%
Cinema Ticket
$4.02 ARS 5,844
$4.98 MX$89.2
-19.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$161 ARS 234.0K
$200 MX$3,580
-19.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,163 ARS 4.6M
$5,304 MX$94.9K
-40.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3 ARS 83.2K
$35.71 MX$639
60.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.9 ARS 91.4K
$39.56 MX$708
59.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$63.9 ARS 92.8K
$80.6 MX$1,442
-20.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.8 ARS 91.1K
$88.3 MX$1,581
-28.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$279 ARS 404.5K
$969 MX$17.4K
-71.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$205 ARS 298.1K
$482 MX$8,632
-57.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$706 ARS 1.0M
$1,595 MX$28.6K
-55.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$586 ARS 850.5K
$1,184 MX$21.2K
-50.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,906 ARS 2.8M
$4,050 MX$72.5K
-52.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,522 MX$116.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mar del Plata
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$609 ARS 884.9K
$756 MX$13.5K
-19.44%
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 Mar del Plata: February 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: March 3, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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