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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,804 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,446 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ulaanbaatar 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

108.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

38.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

91.37%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.64 MNT 9,447

33.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.75 MNT 2,693

101.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.48 MNT 1,705

102.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.11 MNT 7,547

39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.31 MNT 8,244

92.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.49 MNT 5,317

-7.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.98 MNT 3,489

92.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.14 MNT 7,648

-23.36%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.17 MNT 7,771

15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

-48.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

71.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

-16.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.65 MNT 9,461

-44.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

-57.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.68 MNT 9,566

-22.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.75 MNT 2,698

137.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.02 MNT 3,662

114.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.27 MNT 4,534

-18.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.73 MNT 2,624

47.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.79 MNT 6,384

127.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

6.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.39 MNT 4,970

23.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.71 MNT 6,132

50.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.28 MNT 987

82.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

207.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.62 MNT 2,210

425.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.61 MNT 2,189

308.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

-31.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.03 MNT 3,694

27.18%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

0.21%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

26.23%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

1.83%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

185.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

72.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

-14.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

36.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

34.84%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$177 MNT 632.8K

13.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

-19.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

-56.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

-42.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$105 MNT 375.2K

-25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$161 MNT 577.2K

-46.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$512 MNT 1.8M

89.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$405 MNT 1.4M

15.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$740 MNT 2.6M

64.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

100.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$953 MNT 3.4M

581.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$601 MNT 2.1M

10.46%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $512 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 $30.00 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 12%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,742 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 207% 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 $1,161, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.