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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,639 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,510 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,381 in Montevideo, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 23% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Montevideo is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$15.87 UYU 638

-26.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$54.8 UYU 2,205

-23.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$12.19 UYU 490

-13.78%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$4.14 UYU 167

-13.29%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$2.25 UYU 90.3

-32.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.78 UYU 71.6

-48.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$4.48 UYU 180

-33.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.77 UYU 151

16.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.27 UYU 51.1

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$2.87 UYU 116

-34.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.66 UYU 66.7

-6.02%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$4.91 UYU 197

-46.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$13.80 UYU 555

-39.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$10.67 UYU 429

-21.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$10.88 UYU 437

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$3.12 UYU 125

-13.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$2.42 UYU 97.5

-37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.50 UYU 60.2

24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$3.69 UYU 148

-40.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$2.17 UYU 87.2

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.96 UYU 78.7

13.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.32 UYU 53.0

-18.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.69 UYU 67.9

-35.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$5.29 UYU 213

-20.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$8.82 UYU 355

18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.30 UYU 92.4

-27.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.96 UYU 119

-11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$1.30 UYU 52.3

-58.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$55.1 UYU 2,217

-52.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.56 UYU 62.7

97.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$3.44 UYU 138

-30.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$12.55 UYU 505

-75.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.88 UYU 75.6

-30.32%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

-13.02%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

-36.42%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$175 UYU 7,045

-53.60%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$16.34 UYU 657

38.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$49.56 UYU 1,993

-39.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$60.9 UYU 2,449

-13.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$17.09 UYU 687

7.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$10.39 UYU 418

-52.65%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$487 UYU 19.6K

-58.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$9,026 UYU 363.0K

-42.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$94.4 UYU 3,797

-61.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$47.73 UYU 1,920

-15.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$114 UYU 4,585

-30.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$122 UYU 4,888

-28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$614 UYU 24.7K

59.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$483 UYU 19.4K

-2.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$1,095 UYU 44.0K

50.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$828 UYU 33.3K

45.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$3,586 UYU 144.2K

10.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$2,284 UYU 91.8K

189.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$1,283 UYU 51.6K

-47.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.68

101.06%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $614 in Montevideo. 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 90% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $55.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $321 – 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 Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,459 in Montevideo. 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.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $487 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Montevideo at $1,639. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo 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, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.