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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.23 in Artigas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $71.0 in Artigas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $93.9 in Artigas.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 2580% more expensive than in Artigas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Artigas 97% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

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

$25.20 MX$433

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$29.36 UYU 1,180

128.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$8.83 UYU 355

-44.96%

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

$224 MX$3,839

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Artigas: September 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 2580% 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 $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $70.8 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.

At $47.23 in Artigas versus $1,266 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 $47.23 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 2580% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.