🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,123 in Nueve de Julio versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Nueve de Julio versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,604 in Nueve de Julio versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Living in Nueve de Julio costs roughly 13% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Nueve de Julio16% lower, Playa del Carmen4% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.04ARS 21.2K
$11.94MX$208
25.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.1ARS 86.0K
$42.75MX$744
42.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.11ARS 17.0K
$10.59MX$184
14.35%
Cappuccino
$3.96ARS 5,576
$3.62MX$63.0
9.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10ARS 2,954
$1.47MX$25.54
42.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53ARS 2,159
$0.94MX$16.41
62.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.59ARS 5,051
$3.09MX$53.8
16.18%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91ARS 5,500
$4.46MX$77.6
-12.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.03ARS 1,450
$1.43MX$24.80
-27.97%
White Bread(500g)
$2.47ARS 3,477
$1.88MX$32.79
31.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.21ARS 3,107
$1.63MX$28.34
35.58%
Eggs
$1.19ARS 1,670
$2.64MX$45.99
-54.92%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.25ARS 17.3K
$8.21MX$143
49.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.65ARS 10.8K
$8.29MX$144
-7.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.67ARS 13.6K
$11.10MX$193
-12.88%
Apples(1kg)
$2.56ARS 3,606
$2.65MX$46.14
-3.40%
Banana(1kg)
$2.09ARS 2,949
$1.50MX$26.11
39.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.31ARS 1,846
$1.99MX$34.59
-34.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.18ARS 3,063
$2.08MX$36.13
4.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.46ARS 2,050
$1.79MX$31.11
-18.44%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51ARS 2,127
$2.18MX$37.87
-30.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99ARS 1,390
$1.08MX$18.73
-8.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02ARS 1,435
$1.04MX$18.04
-1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.03ARS 1,446
$3.97MX$69.1
-74.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.30ARS 7,461
$10.20MX$178
-48.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44ARS 2,029
$1.73MX$30.04
-16.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96ARS 2,755
$2.50MX$43.46
-21.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.77ARS 1,086
$0.52MX$9.02
48.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$26.97MX$469
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.64ARS 2,312
$3.14MX$54.7
-47.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.86ARS 1,208
$2.40MX$41.80
-64.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.96ARS 8,389
$3.09MX$53.7
92.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.11ARS 1,562
$1.27MX$22.16
-12.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8KARS 35.0M
$30.9KMX$537.3K
-19.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4KARS 40.0M
$23.3KMX$405.7K
21.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$110ARS 154.3K
$82.0MX$1,427
33.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.21ARS 29.9K
$22.45MX$391
-5.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.24ARS 41.2K
$29.66MX$516
-1.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$26.08ARS 36.7K
$51.9MX$903
-49.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.90ARS 19.6K
$18.67MX$325
-25.55%
Cinema Ticket
$9.09ARS 12.8K
$4.97MX$86.5
82.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$322ARS 453.1K
$198MX$3,442
62.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,259ARS 7.4M
$5,273MX$91.7K
-0.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111ARS 156.2K
$36.34MX$632
205.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$85.2ARS 120.0K
$40.05MX$697
112.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$125ARS 175.9K
$79.9MX$1,390
56.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130ARS 183.1K
$88.9MX$1,547
46.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$332ARS 466.8K
$963MX$16.8K
-65.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$237ARS 333.7K
$465MX$8,086
-49.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$672ARS 946.3K
$1,596MX$27.8K
-57.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$548ARS 771.3K
$1,209MX$21.0K
-54.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,175ARS 3.1M
$3,942MX$68.6K
-44.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$6,448MX$112.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nueve de Julio
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$720MX$12.5K
-
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: April 28, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $332 in Nueve de Julio and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $61.0 in Nueve de Julio vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $251, 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 15% 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 $1,684 in Nueve de Julio and $1,930 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: $332 in Nueve de Julio versus $963 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 5% 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 $1,123 per month in Nueve de Julio versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 15% 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 $1,123 in Nueve de Julio versus $1,287 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 $1,123 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 15% 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