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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $954 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,568 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,183 in Quilmes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Quilmes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quilmes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Quilmes 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.74 ARS 8,688

102.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$35.51 ARS 53.8K

32.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.78 ARS 13.3K

35.31%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.96 ARS 4,484

34.46%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.69 ARS 2,555

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.70 ARS 2,576

-51.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$4.06 ARS 6,149

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.22 ARS 3,367

205.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.02 ARS 1,545

64.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.62 ARS 2,459

35.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.61 ARS 2,430

6.21%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.27 ARS 3,439

20.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.57 ARS 20.5K

-29.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.80 ARS 8,776

55.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.99 ARS 15.1K

28.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.91 ARS 2,895

51.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.59 ARS 2,413

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.07 ARS 1,616

100.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.46 ARS 3,727

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.00 ARS 1,509

98.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.64 ARS 964

210.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.68 ARS 1,028

80.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.69 ARS 1,041

73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$4.94 ARS 7,474

-7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.18 ARS 6,327

148.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.21 ARS 1,837

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.94 ARS 2,934

48.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.06 ARS 1,610

-43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.59 ARS 2,407

238.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.01 ARS 1,536

269.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.14 ARS 1,722

35.09%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$49.2K ARS 74.5M

-54.18%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$38.3K ARS 58.1M

-32.05%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$61.1 ARS 92.6K

49.46%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$14.74 ARS 22.3K

70.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$22.26 ARS 33.7K

40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$34.03 ARS 51.5K

97.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$9.81 ARS 14.9K

-50.46%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$258 ARS 390.2K

-13.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$95.3 ARS 144.2K

-50.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$34.38 ARS 52.0K

28.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$65.2 ARS 98.7K

22.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$69.8 ARS 105.6K

32.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$479 ARS 725.9K

121.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$325 ARS 491.5K

20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$922 ARS 1.4M

133.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$735 ARS 1.1M

73.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,315 ARS 3.5M

72.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,813 ARS 2.7M

258.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,082 ARS 1.6M

-29.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

100

-88.55%

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 Quilmes: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $479 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 43% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Quilmes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $211 – 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 33%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,431 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $954 in Quilmes. 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 $258 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 $954, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.