Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Arica Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Arica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,650 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,215 in Arica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Arica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Arica 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$8.54 CLP 7,947

37.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$44.21 CLP 41.1K

-5.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.09 CLP 7,527

29.91%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.76 CLP 2,569

30.07%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.31 CLP 1,217

15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.06 CLP 982

-13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.26 CLP 3,033

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.30 CLP 4,004

2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.24 CLP 1,151

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.49 CLP 1,390

26.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.93 CLP 1,792

-19.17%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.62 CLP 3,370

-27.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.51 CLP 9,780

-20.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.58 CLP 6,120

26.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.05 CLP 10.3K

-1.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.80 CLP 1,679

50.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.50 CLP 1,399

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.59 CLP 1,478

17.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.46 CLP 1,355

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.23 CLP 1,144

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.39 CLP 1,295

60.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.25 CLP 1,165

-14.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.17 CLP 1,091

-6.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.35 CLP 4,975

-21.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.57 CLP 5,181

87.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.55 CLP 1,440

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.33 CLP 2,171

12.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.59 CLP 549

-8.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.50 CLP 468

516.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.36 CLP 1,266

-3.68%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.8K CLP 18.4M

50.69%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.2K CLP 19.7M

10.01%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$131 CLP 121.6K

-37.83%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.57 CLP 12.6K

66.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$21.67 CLP 20.2K

38.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$38.79 CLP 36.1K

36.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.34 CLP 19.9K

-13.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.51 CLP 5,124

-10.71%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$435 CLP 404.4K

-53.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$50.1 CLP 46.6K

-28.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.44 CLP 28.3K

31.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$57.7 CLP 53.7K

38.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$83.8 CLP 77.9K

3.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$477 CLP 443.4K

105.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$380 CLP 354.0K

23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$903 CLP 839.9K

82.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$589 CLP 548.1K

104.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$527 CLP 490.6K

28.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.18

120.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arica: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $477 in Arica. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 28% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Arica. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $228 in Arica – so Arica wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Playa del Carmen vs Arica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $1,086 in Arica – roughly 16% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,629 in Arica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arica, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $44.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arica, where all-in costs run around $1,086, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Arica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,086 in Arica to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arica. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.