Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Ulis and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Les Ulis and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,893 per month in Les Ulis vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,835 per month in Les Ulis vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Les Ulis vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Les Ulis costs about 46% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Les Ulis sits 41% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.84 €13.74
$11.73 MX$205
35.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.9 €60.6
$41.62 MX$727
67.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.61 €9.21
$10.64 MX$186
-0.28%
Cappuccino
$3.55 €3.08
$3.52 MX$61.5
0.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 €3.09
$1.51 MX$26.37
135.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30 €2.87
$0.97 MX$17.00
240.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.17 €7.09
$2.95 MX$51.5
176.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71 €4.96
$4.45 MX$77.8
28.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 €0.79
$1.38 MX$24.16
-34.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.99 €1.73
$1.89 MX$33.04
5.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.95 €0.83
$1.64 MX$28.59
-42.07%
Eggs
$5.04 €4.37
$2.51 MX$43.76
100.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.94 €12.09
$8.34 MX$146
67.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.19 €12.31
$8.34 MX$146
70.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 €11.76
$10.73 MX$187
26.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 €1.94
$2.60 MX$45.48
-13.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 €1.63
$1.46 MX$25.45
28.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.36 €2.92
$1.90 MX$33.19
76.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.76 €3.26
$2.08 MX$36.26
80.77%
Potato (1kg)
$2.60 €2.25
$1.78 MX$31.01
46.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 €1.67
$2.19 MX$38.16
-12.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.82 €1.58
$1.04 MX$18.16
75.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.43 €0.37
$1.08 MX$18.80
-60.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.42 €9.91
$4.08 MX$71.3
179.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.56 €8.30
$10.32 MX$180
-7.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.75 €2.39
$1.71 MX$29.90
60.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 €3.60
$2.58 MX$44.98
60.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 €1.66
$0.51 MX$8.90
274.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.94 €41.59
$26.46 MX$462
81.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.52 €3.92
$3.26 MX$57.0
38.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.01 €1.74
$2.49 MX$43.51
-19.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$56.3 €48.85
$3.25 MX$56.7
1632.31%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 €1.86
$1.31 MX$22.83
64.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K €31.3K
$30.3K MX$528.8K
19.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K €31.4K
$23.4K MX$409.2K
54.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$254 €220
$82.9 MX$1,447
206.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.06 €14.80
$22.22 MX$388
-23.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.42 €31.59
$29.34 MX$512
24.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.43 €32.47
$51.6 MX$902
-27.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.04 €15.65
$18.32 MX$320
-1.53%
Cinema Ticket
$15.91 €13.80
$5.07 MX$88.5
213.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$890 €772
$201 MX$3,507
342.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,774 €7,613
$5,212 MX$91.0K
68.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 €98.5
$36.92 MX$645
207.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.03 €41.67
$39.79 MX$695
20.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 €108
$78.5 MX$1,370
57.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$161 €140
$87.1 MX$1,521
84.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$769 €667
$973 MX$17.0K
-20.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$613 €532
$468 MX$8,169
31.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,362 €1,181
$1,641 MX$28.7K
-17.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 €938
$1,221 MX$21.3K
-11.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,231 €3,671
$3,946 MX$68.9K
7.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,371 €2,925
$6,498 MX$113.5K
-48.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Les Ulis
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$664 MX$11.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.55
11.42
-68.91%

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

Last update for Les Ulis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Les Ulis 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 $70.0 in Les Ulis versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen 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
Les Ulis vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Les Ulis and Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,893 in Les Ulis, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 46% apart. Les Ulis costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Les Ulis compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,840 per month in Les Ulis and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Les Ulis and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 31% more in Les Ulis, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Les Ulis and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Les Ulis at $1,893. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Les Ulis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Les Ulis and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,893 in Les Ulis. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Les Ulis or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Les Ulis and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Les Ulis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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