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 $980 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,212 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña is about 24% 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 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.71 ARS 15.4K

$11.73 MX$203

-8.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.20 ARS 47.8K

$41.62 MX$721

-20.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 ARS 13.0K

$10.64 MX$184

-14.76%

Cappuccino

$2.75 ARS 3,953

$3.52 MX$61.0

-21.88%

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

$1.71 ARS 2,454

$1.51 MX$26.17

13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ARS 2,137

$0.97 MX$16.87

53.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ARS 2,968

$2.95 MX$51.1

-30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ARS 4,370

$4.45 MX$77.2

-31.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,810

$1.38 MX$23.97

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ARS 2,235

$1.89 MX$32.78

-17.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ARS 2,817

$1.64 MX$28.37

19.51%

Eggs

$2.17 ARS 3,118

$2.51 MX$43.42

-13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.93 ARS 14.3K

$8.34 MX$145

19.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 ARS 9,113

$8.34 MX$145

-23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ARS 13.4K

$10.73 MX$186

-13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 2,941

$2.60 MX$45.12

-21.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 ARS 2,958

$1.46 MX$25.25

41.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ARS 1,828

$1.90 MX$32.94

-33.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 ARS 3,655

$2.08 MX$35.98

22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ARS 1,653

$1.78 MX$30.77

-35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ARS 1,781

$2.19 MX$37.87

-43.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ARS 1,807

$1.04 MX$18.02

21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ARS 2,134

$1.08 MX$18.66

37.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 ARS 4,599

$4.08 MX$70.7

-21.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 ARS 8,218

$10.32 MX$179

-44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 ARS 2,899

$1.71 MX$29.67

18.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ARS 4,551

$2.58 MX$44.63

22.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 ARS 1,120

$0.51 MX$8.83

52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ARS 2,119

$3.26 MX$56.5

-54.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ARS 1,318

$2.49 MX$43.17

-63.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 ARS 8,373

$3.25 MX$56.3

79.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 ARS 1,530

$1.31 MX$22.65

-19.08%

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

$27.8K ARS 40.0M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-8.26%

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

$30.9K ARS 44.4M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

31.74%

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

$68.2 ARS 98.1K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-17.70%

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

$17.50 ARS 25.2K

$22.22 MX$385

-21.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.44 ARS 32.3K

$29.34 MX$508

-23.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 ARS 36.9K

$51.6 MX$895

-50.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 ARS 20.1K

$18.32 MX$317

-23.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 ARS 8,840

$5.07 MX$87.8

21.30%

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

$218 ARS 313.5K

$201 MX$3,480

8.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,713 ARS 3.9M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-47.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 ARS 107.5K

$36.92 MX$640

102.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 ARS 100.0K

$39.79 MX$689

74.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ARS 167.1K

$78.5 MX$1,360

48.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 ARS 160.4K

$87.1 MX$1,509

28.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 ARS 477.9K

$973 MX$16.9K

-65.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ARS 337.8K

$468 MX$8,105

-49.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 ARS 969.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-58.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ARS 763.7K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-56.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,105 ARS 3.0M

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-46.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

58.5

11.42

412.26%

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

Last update for Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $332 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña versus $973 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 $33.00 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $249 – making Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,471 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and $1,945 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 $980 in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $218 per month in Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña and $201 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 $980, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.