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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,646 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,495 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,344 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 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$16.24 UYU 658

-26.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$56.0 UYU 2,272

-23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$12.28 UYU 498

-13.27%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.11 UYU 166

-16.06%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.26 UYU 91.4

-33.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.76 UYU 71.5

-46.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$4.38 UYU 178

-30.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.74 UYU 152

23.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.21 UYU 48.94

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$2.84 UYU 115

-34.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.67 UYU 67.6

-3.59%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$4.80 UYU 195

-46.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.77 UYU 558

-40.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$10.84 UYU 439

-22.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.19 UYU 454

-4.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.10 UYU 126

-15.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.39 UYU 97.1

-37.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.50 UYU 60.8

28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$3.75 UYU 152

-44.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.15 UYU 87.0

-13.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.94 UYU 78.8

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.33 UYU 53.8

-20.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.71 UYU 69.3

-36.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.23 UYU 212

-20.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$10.14 UYU 411

2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.30 UYU 93.4

-25.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.02 UYU 122

-13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.29 UYU 52.3

-58.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$56.1 UYU 2,275

-52.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.56 UYU 63.1

100.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.47 UYU 141

-27.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$12.35 UYU 501

-74.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.87 UYU 76.0

-32.09%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$34.0K UYU 1.4M

-10.80%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$36.9K UYU 1.5M

-36.21%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$170 UYU 6,873

-51.04%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$16.98 UYU 688

33.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$48.75 UYU 1,976

-39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$62.0 UYU 2,512

-17.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$17.74 UYU 719

3.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.40 UYU 422

-52.60%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$486 UYU 19.7K

-59.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,923 UYU 361.7K

-40.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$94.4 UYU 3,826

-60.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$46.75 UYU 1,895

-14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$112 UYU 4,531

-28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$124 UYU 5,009

-27.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$619 UYU 25.1K

54.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$487 UYU 19.7K

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,094 UYU 44.4K

50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$811 UYU 32.9K

50.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$3,553 UYU 144.1K

10.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,245 UYU 91.0K

187.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,317 UYU 53.4K

-49.34%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $619 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 97% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $56.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $324 – 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,469 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $486 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $1,271, than in Montevideo at $1,646. 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.