Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ubon Ratchathani Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ubon Ratchathani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $783 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,458 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,133 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Ubon Ratchathani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ubon Ratchathani are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.81 ฿159

148.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$21.64 ฿715

118.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.75 ฿256

51.61%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.85 ฿61.0

122.70%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.39 ฿46.08

0.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.54 ฿17.92

68.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.44 ฿80.7

31.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.72 ฿123

90.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.80 ฿59.5

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.43 ฿47.23

50.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.35 ฿44.57

31.11%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.22 ฿73.2

27.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$17.47 ฿577

-47.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.38 ฿78.7

287.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.59 ฿350

19.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.08 ฿102

-4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.10 ฿36.25

43.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.25 ฿74.3

-1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.82 ฿60.2

29.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.41 ฿46.62

41.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.13 ฿37.37

75.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.14 ฿37.71

8.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.50 ฿16.43

142.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.41 ฿146

4.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.72 ฿453

-23.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.75 ฿57.8

-3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.93 ฿96.9

-5.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.87 ฿28.86

-31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.32 ฿43.49

296.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.25 ฿41.34

192.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$4.23 ฿140

36.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.19 ฿39.39

29.41%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$27.2K ฿897.4K

-16.05%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$31.9K ฿1.1M

-19.04%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$85.2 ฿2,815

6.43%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$12.79 ฿423

96.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$14.67 ฿485

116.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$48.68 ฿1,608

41.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$14.68 ฿485

100.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.86 ฿227

-29.15%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$653 ฿21.6K

-65.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$11.9K ฿392.2K

-64.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$48.99 ฿1,619

-3.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$29.65 ฿980

46.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$71.2 ฿2,353

12.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$76.1 ฿2,513

20.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$243 ฿8,014

347.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$147 ฿4,845

178.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,538 ฿50.8K

28.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$718 ฿23.7K

78.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,811 ฿59.8K

123.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,741 ฿57.5K

285.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$361 ฿11.9K

114.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.57

105.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 in Ubon Ratchathani. 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 114% 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 $22.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $242 – making Ubon Ratchathani 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 Ubon Ratchathani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,175 in Ubon Ratchathani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubon Ratchathani, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $783 in Ubon Ratchathani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $653 in Ubon Ratchathani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ubon Ratchathani, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Ubon Ratchathani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubon Ratchathani – 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 Ubon Ratchathani. 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.