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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,346 in Cordoba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,218 in Cordoba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,091 in Cordoba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Cordoba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Cordoba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Cordoba 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$14.08 ARS 21.1K

-7.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$50.3 ARS 75.3K

-8.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$13.15 ARS 19.7K

-4.26%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$3.32 ARS 4,970

20.48%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$2.65 ARS 3,964

-46.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$2.14 ARS 3,199

-62.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$3.08 ARS 4,618

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$4.08 ARS 6,101

67.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.60 ARS 2,389

6.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$2.88 ARS 4,308

-22.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.16 ARS 3,228

-20.37%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.39 ARS 3,582

13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$10.03 ARS 15.0K

-6.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$7.88 ARS 11.8K

12.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$10.83 ARS 16.2K

18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.42 ARS 3,616

29.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.21 ARS 3,306

-29.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.54 ARS 2,306

39.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.73 ARS 4,080

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.28 ARS 1,910

57.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.37 ARS 2,051

45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.23 ARS 1,840

0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$1.70 ARS 2,543

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$4.97 ARS 7,443

-6.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$4.85 ARS 7,265

115.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.22 ARS 3,318

-28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$3.42 ARS 5,114

-14.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.22 ARS 1,825

-54.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$56.8 ARS 85.0K

-47.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$1.24 ARS 1,854

329.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.05 ARS 3,067

81.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$7.14 ARS 10.7K

-19.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.15 ARS 1,727

34.78%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$35.2K ARS 52.7M

-36.49%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$36.0K ARS 53.9M

-29.00%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$157 ARS 235.0K

-43.12%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$16.12 ARS 24.1K

44.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$31.02 ARS 46.4K

2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$28.28 ARS 42.3K

143.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$23.28 ARS 34.9K

26.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$9.95 ARS 14.9K

-49.15%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$219 ARS 327.8K

1.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$4,060 ARS 6.1M

5.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$129 ARS 192.5K

-64.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$102 ARS 153.3K

-56.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$139 ARS 208.5K

-31.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$133 ARS 199.8K

-30.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$490 ARS 733.9K

118.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$308 ARS 460.7K

27.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$982 ARS 1.5M

102.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$790 ARS 1.2M

65.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$2,799 ARS 4.2M

44.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,435 ARS 2.1M

361.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$669 ARS 1.0M

11.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

48.5

-76.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Cordoba: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $490 in Cordoba. 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 12% higher in Playa del Carmen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Cordoba. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $270 in Cordoba – so Cordoba 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 Cordoba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cordoba is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,019 in Cordoba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $50.0 in Cordoba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,346 in Cordoba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Cordoba at $1,346. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cordoba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cordoba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.