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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,152 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,920 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,688 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 10% more than Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$13.40 ARS 20.3K

-13.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$62.3 ARS 94.2K

-24.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$11.61 ARS 17.5K

2.33%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.39 ARS 5,124

17.40%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.44 ARS 3,695

-41.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.80 ARS 2,724

-54.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.71 ARS 5,605

-14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.04 ARS 6,115

68.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.41 ARS 2,128

19.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.36 ARS 3,568

-6.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.03 ARS 3,067

-15.76%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.96 ARS 4,480

-7.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.51 ARS 14.4K

0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.50 ARS 11.3K

20.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.16 ARS 19.9K

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.76 ARS 4,171

4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.23 ARS 3,376

-32.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.56 ARS 2,351

37.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.18 ARS 3,294

3.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.24 ARS 1,873

60.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$3.35 ARS 5,058

35.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.27 ARS 7,966

96.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.12 ARS 1,694

-46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.78 ARS 2,694

202.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.31 ARS 1,974

17.56%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$100 ARS 151.9K

-9.02%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$18.40 ARS 27.8K

36.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$25.27 ARS 38.2K

23.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$31.09 ARS 47.0K

116.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.88 ARS 11.9K

-38.32%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$299 ARS 451.6K

-25.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$95.8 ARS 144.8K

-50.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$103 ARS 155.9K

-22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$139 ARS 209.8K

-33.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$487 ARS 736.2K

118.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$368 ARS 555.8K

6.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$924 ARS 1.4M

132.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$645 ARS 975.9K

97.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $487 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $220 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña – so Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,727 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,152 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $299 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 $1,152, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.