🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,130 in Nueve de Julio versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,864 in Nueve de Julio versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,597 in Nueve de Julio versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Nueve de Julio costs roughly 11% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Nueve de Julio16% lower, Playa del Carmen5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.87ARS 21.2K
$11.87MX$204
25.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2ARS 85.9K
$42.90MX$736
40.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.18ARS 17.4K
$10.65MX$183
14.37%
Cappuccino
$3.93ARS 5,618
$3.45MX$59.2
13.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20ARS 3,149
$1.50MX$25.81
46.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49ARS 2,126
$0.95MX$16.28
56.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.67ARS 5,241
$3.03MX$51.9
21.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97ARS 5,666
$4.61MX$79.1
-13.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09ARS 1,558
$1.38MX$23.61
-21.01%
White Bread(500g)
$2.53ARS 3,619
$1.85MX$31.70
36.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.30ARS 3,292
$1.61MX$27.65
42.86%
Eggs
$1.17ARS 1,669
$2.59MX$44.51
-54.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.12ARS 17.3K
$8.26MX$142
46.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.73ARS 11.0K
$8.37MX$144
-7.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.39ARS 13.4K
$10.66MX$183
-11.91%
Apples(1kg)
$2.54ARS 3,634
$2.63MX$45.12
-3.42%
Banana(1kg)
$2.10ARS 2,993
$1.49MX$25.53
40.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.26ARS 1,805
$1.92MX$32.94
-34.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.24ARS 3,205
$2.09MX$35.81
7.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.51ARS 2,160
$1.86MX$31.88
-18.82%
Onion(1kg)
$1.53ARS 2,181
$2.26MX$38.81
-32.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.97ARS 1,390
$1.06MX$18.23
-8.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01ARS 1,443
$1.09MX$18.67
-7.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$0.98ARS 1,406
$4.15MX$71.2
-76.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.95ARS 8,498
$10.39MX$178
-42.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39ARS 1,988
$1.72MX$29.59
-19.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96ARS 2,807
$2.61MX$44.85
-24.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.83ARS 1,180
$0.54MX$9.30
53.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.94MX$462
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.62ARS 2,318
$3.13MX$53.7
-48.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.91ARS 1,305
$2.51MX$43.09
-63.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.96ARS 8,510
$3.15MX$54.1
89.21%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.16ARS 1,663
$1.27MX$21.88
-8.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.4KARS 36.3M
$30.4KMX$521.3K
-16.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.2KARS 41.7M
$23.6KMX$404.5K
23.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$109ARS 156.1K
$83.0MX$1,425
31.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.36ARS 30.5K
$22.71MX$390
-5.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.94ARS 41.3K
$29.46MX$506
-1.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88ARS 37.0K
$51.0MX$875
-49.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.56ARS 19.4K
$18.33MX$315
-26.02%
Cinema Ticket
$8.79ARS 12.6K
$4.93MX$84.5
78.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$324ARS 462.1K
$197MX$3,386
63.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,178ARS 7.4M
$5,280MX$90.6K
-1.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108ARS 155.0K
$36.90MX$633
193.98%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$86.2ARS 123.2K
$39.89MX$685
116.12%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$124ARS 176.6K
$80.0MX$1,373
54.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132ARS 188.8K
$89.5MX$1,536
47.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$338ARS 482.9K
$956MX$16.4K
-64.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$239ARS 340.7K
$477MX$8,189
-50.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$685ARS 978.0K
$1,646MX$28.3K
-58.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$532ARS 760.0K
$1,225MX$21.0K
-56.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,329ARS 3.3M
$3,918MX$67.2K
-40.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$667MX$11.4K
-
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 Nueve de Julio: June 7, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in Nueve de Julio and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $60.0 in Nueve de Julio vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $250, with Nueve de Julio cheaper for home cooking.
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
Nueve de Julio vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Nueve de Julio or Playa del Carmen?
Nueve de Julio wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nueve de Julio the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Nueve de Julio vs Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $1,695 in Nueve de Julio and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Nueve de Julio vs Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $338 in Nueve de Julio versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Nueve de Julio or Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Nueve de Julio compared to Playa del Carmen?
All in, you'll spend $1,130 per month in Nueve de Julio versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Nueve de Julio or Playa del Carmen?
At $1,130 in Nueve de Julio versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nueve de Julio but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nueve de Julio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Nueve de Julio or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nueve de Julio delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,130 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nueve de Julio hard to pass up.
How safe is Nueve de Julio compared to Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Nueve de Julio 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nueve de Julio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Nueve de Julio vs other spots: cost of living compared