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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,428 in Chivilcoy, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,297 in Chivilcoy, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,166 in Chivilcoy, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 9% cheaper than Chivilcoy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Chivilcoy is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$19.23 ARS 29.0K
-37.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$70.1 ARS 105.8K
-32.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$12.79 ARS 19.3K
-8.13%
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$3.78 ARS 5,705
8.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.74
$2.07 ARS 3,124
-32.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$1.73 ARS 2,602
-47.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
$3.64 ARS 5,488
-11.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
$4.52 ARS 6,821
56.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.44
$1.46 ARS 2,203
15.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.48
$2.47 ARS 3,724
-12.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.10
$1.53 ARS 2,305
15.69%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.76
$2.79 ARS 4,212
1.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
$10.40 ARS 15.7K
-11.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$10.08 ARS 15.2K
-8.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
$13.76 ARS 20.8K
-8.14%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$2.87 ARS 4,323
2.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.79
$2.05 ARS 3,088
-22.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.70
$1.43 ARS 2,154
55.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.09
$2.05 ARS 3,087
15.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.81
$1.14 ARS 1,725
74.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.58
$1.16 ARS 1,745
70.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.04
$1.73 ARS 2,612
-28.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.55
$1.66 ARS 2,510
-27.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$4.33 ARS 6,539
6.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$178
$5.60 ARS 8,452
87.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.70
$2.18 ARS 3,281
-22.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.06
$2.72 ARS 4,103
1.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.22
$0.99 ARS 1,493
-39.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.8
$1.61 ARS 2,432
225.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
$0.98 ARS 1,483
272.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.1
$7.94 ARS 12.0K
-27.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.09
$1.36 ARS 2,050
13.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$386.8K
$28.1K ARS 42.3M
-18.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$437.9K
$33.3K ARS 50.3M
-22.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,538
$201 ARS 303.3K
-54.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$427
$23.27 ARS 35.1K
8.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$30.73 ARS 46.4K
3.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,167
$30.10 ARS 45.4K
128.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$11.35 ARS 17.1K
-57.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,828
$295 ARS 445.4K
-23.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.1K
$9,024 ARS 13.6M
-53.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
$110 ARS 165.6K
-56.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$91.7 ARS 138.3K
-52.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,361
$117 ARS 177.1K
-31.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,550
$136 ARS 205.8K
-33.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$477 ARS 720.2K
127.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,933
$309 ARS 466.7K
32.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$990 ARS 1.5M
99.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$780 ARS 1.2M
64.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.6K
$2,376 ARS 3.6M
70.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Chivilcoy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
56.56
-79.76%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chivilcoy: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $477 in Chivilcoy. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.0 in Chivilcoy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $282 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chivilcoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and in Chivilcoy compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $1,428 in Chivilcoy – roughly 9% apart. Chivilcoy costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to Chivilcoy?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,142 in Chivilcoy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and Chivilcoy?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Playa del Carmen or Chivilcoy?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,428 in Chivilcoy. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and Chivilcoy?
Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $295 in Chivilcoy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Chivilcoy at $1,428. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chivilcoy it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and Chivilcoy?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,428 in Chivilcoy. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Playa del Carmen or Chivilcoy safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and Chivilcoy?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chivilcoy makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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