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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,488 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,087 in Quilmes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% more than Quilmes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Quilmes are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Quilmes 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$8.94 ARS 12.5K

33.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$30.28 ARS 42.2K

41.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.14 ARS 12.8K

15.86%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.70 ARS 2,377

112.94%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.27 ARS 1,774

15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.18 ARS 1,642

-20.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.25 ARS 1,747

147.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.70 ARS 3,774

65.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.26 ARS 1,763

13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.59 ARS 2,216

18.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.83 ARS 2,556

-10.93%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.15 ARS 2,999

22.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$12.98 ARS 18.1K

-36.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.01 ARS 8,382

37.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.29 ARS 14.4K

7.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.83 ARS 2,547

44.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$2.19 ARS 3,054

-31.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.99 ARS 1,377

101.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.64 ARS 3,681

-21.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.14 ARS 1,585

57.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.39 ARS 1,938

56.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.87 ARS 1,212

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.87 ARS 2,614

-44.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.32 ARS 4,629

19.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.12 ARS 7,140

99.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.30 ARS 1,819

33.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.02 ARS 4,213

-17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.83 ARS 1,155

-37.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.55 ARS 3,557

23.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.92 ARS 1,285

160.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$5.86 ARS 8,179

-47.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.06 ARS 1,482

19.81%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$24.1K ARS 33.7M

27.97%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$26.3K ARS 36.7M

-11.34%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$56.0 ARS 78.1K

46.47%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$18.84 ARS 26.3K

19.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$14.86 ARS 20.7K

99.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$26.35 ARS 36.8K

96.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$13.75 ARS 19.2K

35.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.96 ARS 6,919

0.20%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$221 ARS 307.9K

-10.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,096 ARS 1.5M

381.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$61.1 ARS 85.3K

-40.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$58.9 ARS 82.1K

-31.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$109 ARS 152.7K

-26.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$95.7 ARS 133.5K

-7.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$344 ARS 480.2K

179.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$237 ARS 330.2K

96.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$681 ARS 950.8K

134.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$541 ARS 755.3K

123.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,314 ARS 3.2M

70.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,764 ARS 2.5M

265.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,106 ARS 1.5M

-34.86%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $344 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 54% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Quilmes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $239 – 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 45%, 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 $1,930 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 $1,287 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $221 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 $1,287. 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.