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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,482 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,075 in Quilmes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% more than Quilmes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quilmes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Quilmes 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$8.77 ARS 13.0K

33.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$30.08 ARS 44.7K

39.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.94 ARS 13.3K

17.56%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.72 ARS 2,549

108.72%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.31 ARS 1,947

15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.14 ARS 1,692

-19.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.19 ARS 1,774

148.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.72 ARS 4,036

62.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.27 ARS 1,890

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.60 ARS 2,372

17.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.80 ARS 2,666

-13.33%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.25 ARS 3,340

16.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.33 ARS 19.8K

-37.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.08 ARS 9,028

37.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.34 ARS 15.4K

5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.90 ARS 2,819

42.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$2.15 ARS 3,193

-29.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.00 ARS 1,487

87.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.60 ARS 3,856

-15.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.13 ARS 1,676

64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.37 ARS 2,033

62.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.86 ARS 1,284

24.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.83 ARS 2,725

-40.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.50 ARS 5,199

19.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.27 ARS 6,335

144.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.28 ARS 1,906

29.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.13 ARS 4,653

-16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.79 ARS 1,170

-31.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.47 ARS 3,671

24.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.92 ARS 1,373

160.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.17 ARS 9,158

-49.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.07 ARS 1,585

22.43%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$24.4K ARS 36.2M

22.17%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$25.6K ARS 38.0M

-8.88%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$56.3 ARS 83.6K

44.45%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$18.53 ARS 27.5K

21.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$14.83 ARS 22.0K

102.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$26.27 ARS 39.0K

101.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$13.51 ARS 20.1K

36.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.10 ARS 7,576

-3.53%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$219 ARS 324.7K

-8.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,087 ARS 1.6M

376.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$61.6 ARS 91.4K

-41.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$61.0 ARS 90.6K

-34.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$107 ARS 159.5K

-25.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$95.5 ARS 141.8K

-9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$336 ARS 498.8K

191.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$233 ARS 346.5K

101.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$671 ARS 996.1K

146.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$543 ARS 806.8K

121.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,390 ARS 3.5M

65.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,755 ARS 2.6M

276.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,109 ARS 1.6M

-38.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

100

-88.58%

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 Quilmes: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $336 in Quilmes. 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 64% higher in Quilmes, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Quilmes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $238 – making Quilmes 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 Quilmes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,332 in Quilmes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quilmes, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $888 in Quilmes. 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 $219 in Quilmes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quilmes, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Quilmes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quilmes – 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 Quilmes. 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.