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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $882 in Quilmes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,462 in Quilmes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,043 in Quilmes, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$9.14 ARS 13.1K

29.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$30.02 ARS 42.9K

42.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.22 ARS 13.2K

15.51%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.70 ARS 2,425

102.94%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.27 ARS 1,807

18.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.12 ARS 1,594

-15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.20 ARS 1,718

152.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.74 ARS 3,910

68.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.27 ARS 1,815

8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.56 ARS 2,228

18.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.87 ARS 2,664

-13.90%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.17 ARS 3,106

19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.29 ARS 19.0K

-37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.87 ARS 8,384

42.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.69 ARS 15.3K

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.82 ARS 2,593

44.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.12 ARS 3,022

-29.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.97 ARS 1,389

97.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.58 ARS 3,680

-18.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.19 ARS 1,698

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.38 ARS 1,975

63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.93 ARS 1,328

13.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.85 ARS 2,640

-41.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.42 ARS 4,885

21.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$4.20 ARS 5,999

147.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.30 ARS 1,852

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.13 ARS 4,468

-16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.83 ARS 1,185

-34.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.54 ARS 3,630

23.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.93 ARS 1,334

169.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.14 ARS 8,770

-48.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.08 ARS 1,539

17.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$24.0K ARS 34.3M

26.32%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.2K ARS 37.4M

-9.95%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$55.3 ARS 79.1K

49.98%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$18.56 ARS 26.5K

22.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$14.85 ARS 21.2K

98.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$26.11 ARS 37.3K

95.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$13.99 ARS 20.0K

31.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.02 ARS 7,176

-1.79%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$217 ARS 310.0K

-9.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,094 ARS 1.6M

382.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$60.7 ARS 86.7K

-39.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$60.8 ARS 86.8K

-34.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$108 ARS 154.8K

-26.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$96.5 ARS 137.8K

-7.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$337 ARS 481.2K

183.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$233 ARS 332.5K

104.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$685 ARS 978.0K

140.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$528 ARS 754.2K

131.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,389 ARS 3.4M

64.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,801 ARS 2.6M

258.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,103 ARS 1.6M

-39.54%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Quilmes: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $337 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 65% 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: $250 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 44%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,322 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $882 in Quilmes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $217 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 $882, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.