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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,096 in Salta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,842 in Salta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,588 in Salta, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Salta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salta are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Salta 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.45 ARS 11.3K

55.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$56.6 ARS 85.7K

-16.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$13.19 ARS 20.0K

-9.93%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.57 ARS 3,888

54.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$1.57 ARS 2,376

-8.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$1.76 ARS 2,660

-53.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$1.68 ARS 2,544

89.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.28 ARS 4,967

107.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.42 ARS 2,150

18.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.71 ARS 2,592

28.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.02 ARS 3,058

-15.35%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.80 ARS 4,234

-2.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$10.40 ARS 15.8K

-7.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.11 ARS 10.8K

26.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.89 ARS 18.0K

7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.49 ARS 3,772

16.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.63 ARS 2,467

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.48 ARS 2,243

45.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.01 ARS 3,043

12.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.57 ARS 864

247.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.13 ARS 1,708

76.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.75 ARS 2,644

-31.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$3.50 ARS 5,296

30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$4.89 ARS 7,411

112.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.37 ARS 2,072

18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$3.88 ARS 5,877

-25.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.90 ARS 1,356

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.51 ARS 2,279

256.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.19 ARS 1,800

29.41%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$23.5K ARS 35.6M

-4.01%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$32.5K ARS 49.1M

-19.73%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$111 ARS 167.6K

-17.45%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$17.02 ARS 25.8K

48.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$29.09 ARS 44.0K

7.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$29.79 ARS 45.1K

125.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$9.13 ARS 13.8K

-46.77%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$302 ARS 457.7K

-26.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$101 ARS 152.5K

-53.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$57.0 ARS 86.3K

-22.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$121 ARS 182.7K

-33.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$131 ARS 198.3K

-29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$476 ARS 721.1K

123.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$315 ARS 477.3K

23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$923 ARS 1.4M

132.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$727 ARS 1.1M

74.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$1,950 ARS 3.0M

105.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,467 ARS 2.2M

343.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$837 ARS 1.3M

-9.40%

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 Salta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $476 in Salta. 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 10% higher in Salta, 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 $57.0 in Salta. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $241 in Salta – so Salta 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 Salta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,644 in Salta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salta, 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 $1,096 in Salta. 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 $302 in Salta. 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 Salta, where all-in costs run around $1,096, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Salta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salta – 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 Salta. 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.