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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Ushuaia is about 23% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.35 ARS 15.3K

$11.99 MX$210

-13.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.32 ARS 49.3K

$41.78 MX$733

-20.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 ARS 13.1K

$10.75 MX$189

-17.86%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ARS 4,133

$3.50 MX$61.3

-20.00%

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

$1.65 ARS 2,438

$1.45 MX$25.41

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 ARS 2,280

$0.88 MX$15.52

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ARS 3,139

$2.95 MX$51.7

-28.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ARS 4,364

$4.51 MX$79.1

-34.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ARS 1,849

$1.43 MX$25.12

-12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 ARS 2,419

$1.84 MX$32.23

-10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ARS 2,854

$1.57 MX$27.51

22.93%

Eggs

$2.24 ARS 3,305

$2.51 MX$44.06

-10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 ARS 15.0K

$8.28 MX$145

22.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 ARS 9,291

$8.43 MX$148

-25.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 ARS 13.6K

$10.68 MX$187

-13.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ARS 2,869

$2.61 MX$45.76

-25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 ARS 3,149

$1.44 MX$25.22

47.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ARS 1,867

$1.96 MX$34.41

-35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ARS 3,712

$2.09 MX$36.74

20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ARS 1,680

$1.85 MX$32.47

-38.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ARS 1,844

$2.17 MX$38.02

-42.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 ARS 1,930

$1.03 MX$18.09

27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ARS 2,113

$1.07 MX$18.84

33.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ARS 4,752

$4.10 MX$72.0

-21.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.98 ARS 7,368

$10.17 MX$178

-51.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ARS 2,954

$1.68 MX$29.38

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ARS 4,648

$2.53 MX$44.31

24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ARS 1,219

$0.51 MX$8.93

60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ARS 2,237

$3.23 MX$56.7

-53.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ARS 1,330

$2.41 MX$42.19

-62.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 ARS 8,947

$3.23 MX$56.6

87.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ARS 1,631

$1.32 MX$23.17

-16.67%

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

$27.2K ARS 40.2M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-8.52%

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

$30.1K ARS 44.5M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

27.16%

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

$66.2 ARS 97.8K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-19.29%

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

$16.82 ARS 24.9K

$22.95 MX$403

-26.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.35 ARS 33.0K

$30.11 MX$528

-25.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.07 ARS 38.5K

$52.0 MX$912

-49.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 ARS 20.1K

$18.53 MX$325

-26.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ARS 8,935

$4.98 MX$87.3

21.49%

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

$222 ARS 328.6K

$197 MX$3,463

12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,671 ARS 3.9M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-49.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.1 ARS 108.1K

$35.60 MX$624

105.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 ARS 101.8K

$40.33 MX$707

70.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ARS 168.0K

$78.8 MX$1,381

44.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ARS 163.4K

$88.9 MX$1,560

24.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ARS 492.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-64.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ARS 344.3K

$474 MX$8,314

-50.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ARS 1.0M

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-57.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 ARS 800.4K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-55.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,898 ARS 2.8M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-53.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 ARS 2.3M

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-75.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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 Ushuaia: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Ushuaia versus $947 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 Ushuaia versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $249 – 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

Ushuaia vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,457 per month in Ushuaia and $1,884 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 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 $972 in Ushuaia and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Ushuaia and $197 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 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.