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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $976 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,590 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,203 in Ushuaia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Ushuaia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ushuaia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ushuaia 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$10.47 ARS 15.1K

12.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$34.29 ARS 49.3K

21.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.86 ARS 12.7K

20.09%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.66 ARS 3,822

32.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.65 ARS 2,374

-8.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$1.55 ARS 2,233

-37.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.13 ARS 3,064

38.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.96 ARS 4,262

50.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.25 ARS 1,802

10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.62 ARS 2,325

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.02 ARS 2,903

-18.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.24 ARS 3,218

12.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$10.09 ARS 14.5K

-17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.26 ARS 9,004

33.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.43 ARS 13.6K

13.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.93 ARS 2,779

34.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.07 ARS 2,974

-29.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.26 ARS 1,814

50.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.60 ARS 3,741

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.14 ARS 1,643

56.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.25 ARS 1,804

75.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.26 ARS 1,811

-17.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.49 ARS 2,137

-27.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.20 ARS 4,610

27.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.03 ARS 7,229

105.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.06 ARS 2,964

-16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$3.15 ARS 4,531

-18.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.84 ARS 1,205

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.53 ARS 2,195

113.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.85 ARS 1,221

192.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.13 ARS 8,811

-46.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.09 ARS 1,574

20.18%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$27.1K ARS 38.9M

11.87%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$30.3K ARS 43.5M

-22.60%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$67.0 ARS 96.4K

23.71%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$17.12 ARS 24.6K

29.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$22.49 ARS 32.3K

30.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$26.64 ARS 38.3K

93.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.91 ARS 20.0K

31.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.15 ARS 8,850

-17.56%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$217 ARS 311.5K

-7.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,734 ARS 3.9M

90.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$73.9 ARS 106.3K

-50.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$69.5 ARS 99.9K

-42.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$117 ARS 167.9K

-32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$112 ARS 161.2K

-22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$342 ARS 491.3K

184.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$241 ARS 346.3K

94.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$685 ARS 985.9K

139.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$538 ARS 773.2K

127.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,841 ARS 2.6M

114.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,572 ARS 2.3M

313.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

58.5

-80.48%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ushuaia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Ushuaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $231 – 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 33%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,465 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $976 in Ushuaia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $217 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 $976, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.