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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,770 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,413 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ulaanbaatar 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

122.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

44.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

103.60%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.55 MNT 9,154

37.25%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.76 MNT 2,714

90.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.51 MNT 1,830

72.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.10 MNT 7,526

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.34 MNT 8,379

92.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.43 MNT 5,132

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.98 MNT 3,522

87.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.11 MNT 7,567

-25.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.09 MNT 7,499

20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

-46.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

46.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

64.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$2.67 MNT 9,554

-46.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

-54.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.67 MNT 9,581

-21.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.72 MNT 2,589

156.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.01 MNT 3,625

114.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.29 MNT 4,638

-20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.71 MNT 2,534

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.77 MNT 6,342

131.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.34 MNT 4,795

25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.70 MNT 6,092

48.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.28 MNT 991

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

195.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.56 MNT 2,011

476.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.56 MNT 2,024

330.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

-30.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.08 MNT 3,860

22.22%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

-2.53%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

28.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

-0.85%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

209.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

80.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

-16.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

35.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

32.45%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$175 MNT 628.2K

12.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

-17.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

-58.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

-42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$105 MNT 375.0K

-24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$160 MNT 573.3K

-44.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$511 MNT 1.8M

85.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$405 MNT 1.5M

17.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

9.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$757 MNT 2.7M

60.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

109.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$957 MNT 3.4M

576.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$596 MNT 2.1M

9.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

90.33%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $511 in Ulaanbaatar. 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 10% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $247 – making Ulaanbaatar 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 Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,690 in Ulaanbaatar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulaanbaatar, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 196% less in Ulaanbaatar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulaanbaatar, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Ulaanbaatar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulaanbaatar – 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 Ulaanbaatar. 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.