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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $838 in Ubatuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,325 in Ubatuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,812 in Ubatuba, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Ubatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ubatuba are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Ubatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$7.16 R$36.68

62.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$28.71 R$147

64.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$4.85 R$24.83

144.95%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$1.49 R$7.64

167.11%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$1.30 R$6.66

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.87 R$4.46

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.29 R$11.75

39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.65 R$18.70

86.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.06 R$5.43

58.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.78 R$9.13

23.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.34 R$6.86

27.61%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$2.61 R$13.36

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$2.98 R$15.25

221.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.95 R$20.23

128.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$7.82 R$40.06

63.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$1.60 R$8.22

80.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.14 R$5.84

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$1.14 R$5.82

88.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.50 R$7.70

50.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.14 R$5.85

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.14 R$5.84

74.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.91 R$4.65

35.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.57 R$2.90

110.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$2.45 R$12.54

85.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$7.89 R$40.45

31.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.46 R$7.51

10.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.41 R$12.33

19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$1.00 R$5.10

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.19 R$6.10

352.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.76 R$3.90

390.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$8.14 R$41.69

-29.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$1.22 R$6.26

26.23%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$23.1K R$118.5K

-2.50%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$31.7K R$162.7K

-17.90%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$64.0 R$328

42.76%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$9.20 R$47.16

173.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$19.68 R$101

58.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$11.47 R$58.8

485.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$7.80 R$39.95

-37.69%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$426 R$2,183

-47.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$9,797 R$50.2K

-56.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$64.1 R$328

-26.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$55.4 R$284

-20.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$93.6 R$480

-14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$83.6 R$428

10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$397 R$2,033

167.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$295 R$1,512

32.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$780 R$3,997

175.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$573 R$2,935

122.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,726 R$8,847

131.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$376 R$1,927

101.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.81

5.92%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ubatuba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $397 in Ubatuba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 102% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Ubatuba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $167 – making Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,257 in Ubatuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubatuba, 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $838 in Ubatuba. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $426 in Ubatuba. 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 Ubatuba, where all-in costs run around $838, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Ubatuba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubatuba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ubatuba. 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.