Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $980 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,596 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,212 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.71 ARS 15.4K

9.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$33.20 ARS 47.8K

25.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.07 ARS 13.0K

17.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.75 ARS 3,953

28.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.71 ARS 2,454

-11.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.49 ARS 2,137

-34.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.06 ARS 2,968

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.04 ARS 4,370

46.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.26 ARS 1,810

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.55 ARS 2,235

21.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.96 ARS 2,817

-16.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.17 ARS 3,118

15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

-16.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.34 ARS 9,113

31.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.31 ARS 13.4K

15.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.04 ARS 2,941

27.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.06 ARS 2,958

-29.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.27 ARS 1,828

49.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.54 ARS 3,655

-18.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.15 ARS 1,653

54.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.24 ARS 1,781

76.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.26 ARS 1,807

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.48 ARS 2,134

-27.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.20 ARS 4,599

27.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.71 ARS 8,218

80.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.02 ARS 2,899

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.16 ARS 4,551

-18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.78 ARS 1,120

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.47 ARS 2,119

121.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.92 ARS 1,318

170.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.82 ARS 8,373

-44.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.06 ARS 1,530

23.58%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$27.8K ARS 40.0M

9.01%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$30.9K ARS 44.4M

-24.09%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$68.2 ARS 98.1K

21.51%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$17.50 ARS 25.2K

26.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.44 ARS 32.3K

30.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$25.68 ARS 36.9K

101.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$14.01 ARS 20.1K

30.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.15 ARS 8,840

-17.56%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$218 ARS 313.5K

-7.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,713 ARS 3.9M

92.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$74.7 ARS 107.5K

-50.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$69.5 ARS 100.0K

-42.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$116 ARS 167.1K

-32.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$112 ARS 160.4K

-21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$332 ARS 477.9K

192.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$235 ARS 337.8K

99.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$674 ARS 969.7K

143.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$531 ARS 763.7K

129.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,105 ARS 3.0M

87.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

58.5

-80.48%

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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $332 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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 $33.00 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $231 – making Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,471 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, 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 $980 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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 $218 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, where all-in costs run around $980, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña – 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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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.