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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,051 in Chivilcoy, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,680 in Chivilcoy, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,310 in Chivilcoy, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% more than Chivilcoy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Chivilcoy are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Chivilcoy 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.76 ARS 9,636

73.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.22 ARS 38.8K

52.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.29 ARS 11.8K

28.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.89 ARS 2,701

86.24%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.93 ARS 1,322

62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.13 ARS 1,607

-14.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.42 ARS 3,453

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.24 ARS 4,619

37.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.58 ARS 2,261

-12.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.54 ARS 3,624

-25.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.23 ARS 3,182

-26.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.22 ARS 4,598

-22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.84 ARS 16.9K

-29.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.85 ARS 11.2K

6.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.66 ARS 13.8K

11.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.54 ARS 3,628

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.11 ARS 3,011

-30.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.30 ARS 1,856

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.64 ARS 3,760

-21.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.44 ARS 2,057

23.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.52 ARS 2,167

44.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.79 ARS 2,557

-41.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.49 ARS 2,131

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.35 ARS 4,772

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$6.04 ARS 8,619

70.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.25 ARS 3,213

-24.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.14 ARS 4,480

-17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.84 ARS 1,195

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.61 ARS 2,300

102.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.90 ARS 1,286

176.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.09 ARS 8,680

-46.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.77 ARS 1,097

70.13%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$24.9K ARS 35.5M

21.65%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.4K ARS 40.5M

-17.49%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$112 ARS 159.3K

-25.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$21.60 ARS 30.8K

2.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$28.38 ARS 40.5K

3.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$26.52 ARS 37.8K

94.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.54 ARS 19.3K

35.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$8.84 ARS 12.6K

-42.65%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$326 ARS 465.2K

-38.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,131 ARS 7.3M

1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$110 ARS 156.8K

-66.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$87.1 ARS 124.3K

-54.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$124 ARS 176.6K

-36.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$131 ARS 186.8K

-33.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$333 ARS 475.6K

191.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$239 ARS 341.4K

95.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$678 ARS 966.9K

142.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$539 ARS 768.5K

126.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,084 ARS 3.0M

89.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

52.71

-78.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chivilcoy: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $333 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Chivilcoy. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $273 in Chivilcoy – so Playa del Carmen 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 Chivilcoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,051 in Chivilcoy – roughly 23% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,576 in Chivilcoy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chivilcoy, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,051 in Chivilcoy. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $326 in Chivilcoy. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chivilcoy, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Chivilcoy 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 $1,051 in Chivilcoy to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Chivilcoy. 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.