๐A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $966 in Ukhta, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,490 in Ukhta, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,014 in Ukhta, rent included.
๐Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Ukhta, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Both Playa del Carmen and Ukhta are more affordable than the global median โ Playa del Carmen6% lower, Ukhta28% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.67MX$202
$9.69โฝ727
20.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.88MX$726
$38.71โฝ2,905
8.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.40MX$180
$5.58โฝ418
86.38%
Cappuccino
$3.61MX$62.6
$2.38โฝ179
51.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.45
$1.07โฝ80.1
37.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.80
$0.48โฝ36.22
89.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$52.6
$1.42โฝ107
113.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.47MX$77.4
$2.53โฝ190
76.68%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.83
$1.10โฝ82.5
25.45%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84MX$31.93
$0.66โฝ49.53
178.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.82
$1.37โฝ103
17.52%
Eggs
$2.57MX$44.52
$1.78โฝ134
44.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$10.95โฝ822
-22.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49MX$147
$4.91โฝ368
72.91%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.99MX$190
$8.97โฝ673
22.52%
Apples(1kg)
$2.73MX$47.25
$1.81โฝ136
50.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$25.92
$1.90โฝ142
-21.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.96MX$33.93
$1.93โฝ145
1.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.70
$2.68โฝ201
-20.90%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$32.30
$0.83โฝ62.3
124.10%
Onion(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.67
$0.70โฝ52.5
210.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.59
$1.35โฝ101
-20.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05MX$18.18
$0.66โฝ49.86
59.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.19MX$72.6
$2.98โฝ223
40.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.28MX$178
$8.14โฝ611
26.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67MX$28.87
$1.00โฝ75.1
67.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49MX$43.12
$1.88โฝ141
32.45%
๐ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.37
$0.53โฝ39.49
1.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.27MX$455
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.10MX$53.8
$1.95โฝ146
58.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46MX$42.66
$0.33โฝ24.49
645.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.24MX$56.1
$6.54โฝ490
-50.46%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.83
$0.73โฝ55.0
72.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.2KMX$522.8K
$34.1Kโฝ2.6M
-11.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4KMX$406.3K
$36.1Kโฝ2.7M
-35.09%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0MX$1,456
$111โฝ8,324
-24.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.21MX$385
$5.90โฝ442
276.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.65MX$514
$7.89โฝ592
275.79%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.6MX$912
$34.93โฝ2,621
50.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.34MX$318
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.95MX$85.7
$4.94โฝ371
0.20%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,438
$325โฝ24.4K
-38.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,322MX$92.2K
$6,917โฝ519.0K
-23.06%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.95MX$623
$70.2โฝ5,267
-48.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06MX$694
$45.16โฝ3,389
-11.29%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.8MX$1,365
$116โฝ8,678
-31.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.5MX$1,499
$107โฝ8,041
-19.27%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$977MX$16.9K
$439โฝ32.9K
122.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$471MX$8,158
$299โฝ22.4K
57.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,595MX$27.6K
$762โฝ57.2K
109.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215MX$21.1K
$514โฝ38.5K
136.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,032MX$69.9K
$2,176โฝ163.3K
85.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,579MX$114.0K
$1,545โฝ116.0K
325.75%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ukhta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$714MX$12.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
15
-23.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026
Last update for Ukhta: April 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 in Ukhta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $39 in Ukhta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $198 โ making Ukhta 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 Ukhta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ukhta cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes โ Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,450 in Ukhta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ukhta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Ukhta?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $966 in Ukhta. The difference isn't just one category โ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $325 in Ukhta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Ukhta?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ukhta, where all-in costs run around $966, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Ukhta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Ukhta more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ukhta โ lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ukhta. 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.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared