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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $581 in Ucar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $990 in Ucar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,398 in Ucar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 123% more than Ucar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ucar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ucar 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$9.07 ₼15.41

29.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.21 ₼59.8

18.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.83 ₼13.31

35.89%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.58 ₼6.09

-1.68%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.79 ₼1.33

91.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.47 ₼0.79

106.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.78 ₼3.03

65.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.90 ₼4.93

53.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.32 ₼2.25

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.47 ₼0.80

302.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.30 ₼3.90

-28.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.42 ₼2.41

76.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.37 ₼9.12

55.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.81 ₼8.18

73.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.34 ₼17.57

3.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.30 ₼2.20

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.81 ₼3.08

-19.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.52 ₼2.58

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.81 ₼3.08

14.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.84 ₼1.42

111.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.51 ₼0.87

329.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.43 ₼0.73

141.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.61 ₼1.04

77.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.63 ₼6.16

12.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.07 ₼15.41

13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.41 ₼2.40

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.71 ₼4.61

-4.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.03 ₼3.45

60.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.56 ₼0.95

344.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$3.49 ₼5.93

-6.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.75 ₼1.28

74.67%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.3K ₼34.5K

48.94%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$21.8K ₼37.0K

7.62%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$60.6 ₼103

36.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.66 ₼19.82

90.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$15.46 ₼26.27

89.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.82 ₼9.90

-12.89%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$250 ₼425

-19.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,484 ₼11.0K

-19.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$58.9 ₼100

-37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$55.1 ₼93.6

-27.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$122 ₼208

-35.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$98.6 ₼168

-11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.87

28.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ucar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.00 in Ucar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $180 – making Ucar 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 Ucar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 123%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $872 in Ucar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $581 in Ucar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $250 in Ucar. 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 Ucar, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ucar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ucar – 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 Ucar. 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.