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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $949 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,565 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,182 in Ushuaia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% more than Ushuaia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ushuaia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ushuaia 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$10.41 ARS 15.7K

12.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$33.57 ARS 50.6K

38.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.78 ARS 13.2K

32.69%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.79 ARS 4,204

46.59%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.69 ARS 2,550

-18.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$1.50 ARS 2,261

-44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$2.17 ARS 3,275

54.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.04 ARS 4,580

127.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.30 ARS 1,966

33.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.63 ARS 2,461

38.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.03 ARS 3,064

-12.81%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.25 ARS 3,387

21.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$10.27 ARS 15.5K

-10.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.36 ARS 9,592

40.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$9.25 ARS 13.9K

36.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.04 ARS 3,073

48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.12 ARS 3,201

-25.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.26 ARS 1,893

69.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$2.61 ARS 3,941

-13.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.15 ARS 1,732

73.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.20 ARS 1,803

71.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.25 ARS 1,892

-5.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$1.48 ARS 2,238

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$3.17 ARS 4,775

46.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$4.97 ARS 7,491

115.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.09 ARS 3,152

-22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$3.14 ARS 4,740

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.78 ARS 1,172

-26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.53 ARS 2,310

256.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.85 ARS 1,275

335.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$5.84 ARS 8,804

2.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.11 ARS 1,677

39.64%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$27.0K ARS 40.8M

-17.42%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$30.1K ARS 45.4M

-13.74%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$67.2 ARS 101.4K

32.56%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$17.39 ARS 26.2K

43.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$22.81 ARS 34.4K

38.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$26.14 ARS 39.4K

159.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$13.70 ARS 20.7K

111.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$6.10 ARS 9,199

-17.21%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$221 ARS 333.7K

1.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$2,682 ARS 4.0M

57.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$73.1 ARS 110.2K

-35.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$70.9 ARS 107.0K

-36.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$114 ARS 171.6K

-27.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$110 ARS 166.5K

-16.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$342 ARS 515.6K

212.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$241 ARS 363.3K

68.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$681 ARS 1.0M

184.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$530 ARS 799.5K

145.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,912 ARS 2.9M

109.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,570 ARS 2.4M

321.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

58.5

-80.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ushuaia: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $342 in Ushuaia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Ushuaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $233 – making Ushuaia 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 Ushuaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,423 in Ushuaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ushuaia, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $949 in Ushuaia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $221 in Ushuaia. 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 Ushuaia, where all-in costs run around $949, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Ushuaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ushuaia – 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 Ushuaia. 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.