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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,083 in Arica, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,646 in Arica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,209 in Arica, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% 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 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$8.53 CLP 7,666

39.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$45.28 CLP 40.7K

-5.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.84 CLP 7,048

35.84%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.71 CLP 2,434

27.31%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.29 CLP 1,162

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.02 CLP 913

-6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.25 CLP 2,920

-6.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$4.23 CLP 3,800

8.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.23 CLP 1,107

12.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.58 CLP 1,424

17.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.92 CLP 1,722

-16.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.57 CLP 3,204

-27.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.63 CLP 9,549

-22.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.83 CLP 6,141

22.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.81 CLP 9,719

-1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.88 CLP 1,689

39.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.52 CLP 1,364

-1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.52 CLP 1,370

26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.51 CLP 1,360

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.28 CLP 1,151

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.36 CLP 1,222

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.26 CLP 1,133

-15.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.16 CLP 1,046

-6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.54 CLP 4,976

-25.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$5.77 CLP 5,188

80.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.61 CLP 1,446

6.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.22 CLP 1,993

17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.62 CLP 554

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.47 CLP 422

565.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.42 CLP 1,275

-10.56%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.4K CLP 17.4M

56.72%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.4K CLP 19.2M

10.38%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$134 CLP 120.8K

-38.23%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$13.48 CLP 12.1K

68.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$22.38 CLP 20.1K

31.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$39.17 CLP 35.2K

30.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.04 CLP 18.9K

-12.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.75 CLP 5,167

-14.26%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$444 CLP 398.7K

-55.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$51.6 CLP 46.4K

-28.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.82 CLP 27.7K

29.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$55.7 CLP 50.1K

43.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$83.7 CLP 75.2K

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$490 CLP 440.6K

95.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$369 CLP 331.7K

29.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$895 CLP 804.7K

83.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$583 CLP 524.3K

109.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$536 CLP 482.0K

24.35%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arica: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $490 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 24% 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 – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $230 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $1,083 in Arica – roughly 17% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,625 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 8% 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 $1,083, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,083 in Arica to $1,271 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.