Cost of Living Comparison Between Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,201 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,021 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,841 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.91 ARS 21.0K

$11.71 MX$199

18.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 ARS 78.2K

$46.59 MX$791

11.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.74 ARS 19.2K

$11.65 MX$198

9.36%

Cappuccino

$4.34 ARS 6,551

$4.09 MX$69.5

6.11%

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

$2.23 ARS 3,371

$1.37 MX$23.34

62.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ARS 2,268

$0.83 MX$14.16

80.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 ARS 5,915

$3.35 MX$56.9

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ARS 6,153

$6.91 MX$117

-41.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ARS 2,039

$1.73 MX$29.33

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 ARS 3,200

$2.26 MX$38.39

-6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 ARS 2,604

$1.77 MX$30.05

-2.82%

Eggs

$2.06 ARS 3,108

$2.73 MX$46.41

-24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ARS 15.4K

$9.18 MX$156

10.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 ARS 8,905

$8.92 MX$151

-33.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 ARS 19.3K

$12.60 MX$214

1.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ARS 3,508

$3.02 MX$51.3

-23.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 ARS 3,196

$1.57 MX$26.68

35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 ARS 2,095

$2.13 MX$36.10

-34.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 ARS 3,238

$2.26 MX$38.46

-5.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,718

$2.00 MX$34.04

-43.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ARS 1,398

$2.06 MX$35.06

-54.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 ARS 2,581

$1.18 MX$20.04

44.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ARS 2,968

$1.20 MX$20.45

63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ARS 4,952

$4.63 MX$78.7

-29.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 ARS 7,178

$10.69 MX$182

-55.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ARS 2,828

$1.62 MX$27.50

15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ARS 4,287

$2.88 MX$48.93

-1.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ARS 1,519

$0.57 MX$9.74

77.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 ARS 2,636

$5.45 MX$92.5

-67.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ARS 1,548

$3.70 MX$62.9

-72.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 ARS 9,681

$5.98 MX$102

7.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ARS 1,999

$1.55 MX$26.38

-14.84%

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

$25.4K ARS 38.3M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

13.71%

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

$36.1K ARS 54.6M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

39.30%

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

$90.5 ARS 136.7K

$89.1 MX$1,514

1.56%

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

$16.09 ARS 24.3K

$25.04 MX$425

-35.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.79 ARS 37.4K

$31.50 MX$535

-21.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.56 ARS 40.1K

$67.8 MX$1,151

-60.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 ARS 13.3K

$5.05 MX$85.8

74.85%

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

$338 ARS 510.9K

$225 MX$3,820

50.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,581 ARS 6.9M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

8.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 ARS 166.5K

$47.44 MX$806

132.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$86.7 ARS 130.9K

$44.98 MX$764

92.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ARS 155.1K

$82.0 MX$1,392

25.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ARS 186.2K

$92.1 MX$1,564

33.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ARS 626.5K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-61.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ARS 523.3K

$405 MX$6,884

-14.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 ARS 1.5M

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-48.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 ARS 1.1M

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-42.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ARS 3.1M

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-49.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

56.56

11.45

393.97%

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

Last update for Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $52.0 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 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

Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,802 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, 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 $1,201 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $338 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and $225 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, where all-in costs run around $1,201, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña – 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 Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña. 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.