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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $311 in Artigas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $369 in Artigas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $426 in Artigas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 303% more expensive than in Artigas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Artigas 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$1.20 UYU 48.28

-57.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$44.40 UYU 1,786

-41.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.49 UYU 60.0

116.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.55 UYU 62.2

55.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$11.10 UYU 447

-70.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$2.50 UYU 100

-47.20%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$39.3K UYU 1.6M

-24.44%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

-39.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$169 UYU 6,779

-51.33%

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$38.53 UYU 1,550

-21.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$29.25 UYU 1,177

77.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$8.40 UYU 338

-40.71%

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Artigas: July 12, 2026

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 Artigas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Artigas wins on cost – living expenses run 303% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Artigas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $467 in Artigas 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.

A monthly transit pass in Artigas runs roughly 71% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $311 in Artigas – a 303% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $311 in Artigas versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Artigas but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Artigas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Artigas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $311 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Artigas hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Artigas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 303% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.