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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,077 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,647 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,217 in Arica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Arica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arica are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Arica 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.45 CLP 7,513

41.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$45.24 CLP 40.2K

-5.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.86 CLP 6,985

34.73%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.85 CLP 2,539

27.02%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.31 CLP 1,162

12.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.06 CLP 940

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.27 CLP 2,907

-5.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$4.20 CLP 3,734

6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.22 CLP 1,089

17.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.56 CLP 1,389

20.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.88 CLP 1,668

-13.30%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.44 CLP 3,059

-23.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.39 CLP 9,242

-20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.64 CLP 5,908

24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.76 CLP 9,571

3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.82 CLP 1,615

45.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.50 CLP 1,337

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.54 CLP 1,366

29.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.52 CLP 1,355

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.23 CLP 1,091

45.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.35 CLP 1,200

61.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.25 CLP 1,116

-13.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.21 CLP 1,077

-14.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.28 CLP 4,695

-24.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.60 CLP 1,423

8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.23 CLP 1,984

12.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.61 CLP 542

-14.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.51 CLP 454

515.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.44 CLP 1,279

-11.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.7K CLP 17.5M

56.88%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.8K CLP 19.4M

6.97%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$134 CLP 119.1K

-38.76%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.61 CLP 12.1K

64.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$22.36 CLP 19.9K

32.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$38.22 CLP 34.0K

35.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$21.65 CLP 19.2K

-13.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.73 CLP 5,096

-13.26%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$430 CLP 382.4K

-54.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$51.2 CLP 45.5K

-28.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.34 CLP 27.0K

32.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$56.9 CLP 50.6K

40.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$81.5 CLP 72.5K

9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$487 CLP 433.2K

97.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$369 CLP 328.4K

25.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$880 CLP 782.3K

81.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$589 CLP 523.6K

105.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$562 CLP 499.5K

28.24%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Arica: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $487 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Arica. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $216 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $1,077 in Arica – roughly 19% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,615 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $45.00 in Arica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,077, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $1,077 in Arica to $1,287 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.