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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $972 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,567 in Ushuaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,163 in Ushuaia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Ushuaia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ushuaia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ushuaia 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$10.35 ARS 15.3K

15.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$33.32 ARS 49.3K

25.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$8.83 ARS 13.1K

21.74%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.80 ARS 4,133

25.00%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.65 ARS 2,438

-12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.54 ARS 2,280

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.12 ARS 3,139

39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.95 ARS 4,364

52.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.25 ARS 1,849

14.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.64 ARS 2,419

12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.93 ARS 2,854

-18.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.24 ARS 3,305

12.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

-18.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$6.29 ARS 9,291

34.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.19 ARS 13.6K

16.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.94 ARS 2,869

34.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.13 ARS 3,149

-32.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.26 ARS 1,867

55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.51 ARS 3,712

-16.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.14 ARS 1,680

62.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.25 ARS 1,844

73.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.31 ARS 1,930

-21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$1.43 ARS 2,113

-25.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.22 ARS 4,752

27.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.98 ARS 7,368

104.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.00 ARS 2,954

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$3.14 ARS 4,648

-19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.82 ARS 1,219

-37.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.51 ARS 2,237

113.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.90 ARS 1,330

167.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.05 ARS 8,947

-46.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.10 ARS 1,631

20.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

9.31%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$30.1K ARS 44.5M

-21.36%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$66.2 ARS 97.8K

23.90%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$16.82 ARS 24.9K

36.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$22.35 ARS 33.0K

34.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

99.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$13.59 ARS 20.1K

36.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$6.05 ARS 8,935

-17.69%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$222 ARS 328.6K

-11.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$2,671 ARS 3.9M

99.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$73.1 ARS 108.1K

-51.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$68.9 ARS 101.8K

-41.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$114 ARS 168.0K

-30.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$111 ARS 163.4K

-19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$333 ARS 492.8K

184.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$233 ARS 344.3K

103.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$695 ARS 1.0M

136.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$542 ARS 800.4K

123.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

113.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,561 ARS 2.3M

314.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ushuaia: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $333 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 $33.00 in Ushuaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $230 – 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 29%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,457 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $972 in Ushuaia. 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 $222 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 $972, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.