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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,160 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,925 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,691 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ulaanbaatar 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$5.54 MNT 19.9K

115.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$32.58 MNT 117.1K

45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.40 MNT 19.4K

117.59%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.38 MNT 8,567

73.11%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.83 MNT 2,974

68.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.57 MNT 2,032

59.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.31 MNT 8,312

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.25 MNT 11.7K

117.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.45 MNT 5,219

15.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.97 MNT 3,502

121.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.06 MNT 7,402

-14.08%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.15 MNT 7,747

31.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.41 MNT 44.6K

-25.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.85 MNT 17.4K

90.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.16 MNT 25.7K

76.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.19 MNT 11.5K

-7.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.38 MNT 8,547

-33.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.64 MNT 13.1K

-39.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.12 MNT 11.2K

-24.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.70 MNT 2,499

184.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.04 MNT 3,756

90.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.75 MNT 6,280

-29.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.79 MNT 2,847

53.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.77 MNT 6,353

159.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$10.61 MNT 38.1K

-0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.50 MNT 5,388

12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.72 MNT 6,200

61.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.29 MNT 1,045

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$16.54 MNT 59.5K

79.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.51 MNT 1,846

927.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.54 MNT 1,929

575.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.23 MNT 22.4K

-7.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.06 MNT 3,803

45.28%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$27.3K MNT 98.3M

-16.61%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$34.5K MNT 124.0M

-25.16%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$69.8 MNT 250.8K

29.99%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$7.47 MNT 26.8K

237.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$13.90 MNT 50.0K

128.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$67.1 MNT 241.1K

2.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$18.23 MNT 65.5K

61.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.08 MNT 14.7K

19.12%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$813 MNT 2.9M

-72.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,436 MNT 30.3M

-50.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$83.6 MNT 300.7K

-43.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$44.65 MNT 160.5K

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$105 MNT 377.1K

-23.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$190 MNT 683.9K

-51.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$586 MNT 2.1M

85.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$452 MNT 1.6M

-9.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,695 MNT 6.1M

16.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,020 MNT 3.7M

25.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,928 MNT 6.9M

109.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$955 MNT 3.4M

601.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$592 MNT 2.1M

30.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

10.32

10.95%

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 Ulaanbaatar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $586 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 31% 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 $33.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $237 – 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 13%, 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 $1,739 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,160 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% 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 $1,160, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.