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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,155 in Pergamino, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,800 in Pergamino, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,445 in Pergamino, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Pergamino, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Pergamino are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Pergamino 14% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$14.86 ARS 21.2K
-20.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$29.73 ARS 42.5K
44.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$11.94 ARS 17.1K
-10.80%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$3.91 ARS 5,583
-11.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$1.98 ARS 2,831
-24.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$1.48 ARS 2,112
-35.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$3.56 ARS 5,084
-14.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$2.02 ARS 2,892
128.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$1.58 ARS 2,253
-12.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$2.48 ARS 3,537
-25.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$2.33 ARS 3,325
-30.90%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$2.38 ARS 3,402
8.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$11.99 ARS 17.1K
-31.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$3.05 ARS 4,358
174.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$9.18 ARS 13.1K
16.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$2.49 ARS 3,554
5.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$2.09 ARS 2,986
-28.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$1.31 ARS 1,867
46.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$1.96 ARS 2,804
6.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$1.46 ARS 2,084
27.40%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$1.46 ARS 2,090
54.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$1.78 ARS 2,547
-40.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$1.49 ARS 2,129
-26.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$3.27 ARS 4,669
26.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$5.72 ARS 8,175
81.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$1.98 ARS 2,834
-13.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$3.09 ARS 4,421
-15.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.83 ARS 1,187
-34.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$1.57 ARS 2,246
99.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$0.81 ARS 1,161
209.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$5.89 ARS 8,407
-46.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.12 ARS 1,597
13.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$19.8K ARS 28.2M
53.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$24.5K ARS 35.1M
-4.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$112 ARS 160.6K
-26.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$21.58 ARS 30.8K
5.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$29.05 ARS 41.5K
1.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$26.35 ARS 37.6K
93.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$13.61 ARS 19.4K
34.68%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$9.22 ARS 13.2K
-46.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$331 ARS 472.3K
-40.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$5,279 ARS 7.5M
0.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$111 ARS 158.6K
-66.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$84.9 ARS 121.3K
-53.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$123 ARS 175.3K
-34.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$130 ARS 185.2K
-31.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$332 ARS 473.9K
188.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$238 ARS 340.3K
100.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$694 ARS 991.1K
137.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$542 ARS 774.1K
126.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$2,202 ARS 3.1M
77.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Pergamino
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
-
-
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 7, 2026

Last update for Pergamino: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $332 in Pergamino. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Pergamino. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $238 – making Pergamino 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 Pergamino: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pergamino cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,733 in Pergamino. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Pergamino, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Pergamino?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,155 in Pergamino. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $331 in Pergamino. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Pergamino?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pergamino, where all-in costs run around $1,155, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Pergamino it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Pergamino more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Pergamino – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Pergamino?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Pergamino. 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.

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