Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ulu Tiram Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ulu Tiram

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $842 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,284 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,725 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Ulu Tiram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ulu Tiram are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ulu Tiram 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$3.60 MYR 14.21

224.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$18.82 MYR 74.4

122.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$4.59 MYR 18.13

126.58%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.72 MYR 10.73

32.72%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.68 MYR 2.69

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.36 MYR 1.44

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$4.37 MYR 17.24

-30.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$6.77 MYR 26.72

-33.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.85 MYR 7.31

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.00 MYR 3.94

84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.29 MYR 5.09

24.81%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.82 MYR 7.18

41.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$10.80 MYR 42.66

-21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.07 MYR 16.08

108.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.90 MYR 31.19

39.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.77 MYR 10.94

-1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.47 MYR 5.81

2.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.56 MYR 10.12

-23.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.21 MYR 4.78

75.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.18 MYR 4.65

57.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.39 MYR 5.49

56.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.88 MYR 3.46

21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.63 MYR 2.50

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.18 MYR 16.52

0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$17.47 MYR 69.0

-41.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.88 MYR 11.38

-42.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$3.01 MYR 11.87

-17.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.68 MYR 2.67

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$11.92 MYR 47.08

120.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.99 MYR 3.91

213.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.03 MYR 4.08

138.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$9.48 MYR 37.46

-65.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.50 MYR 1.97

152.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$34.9K MYR 137.8K

-13.52%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$33.4K MYR 132.1K

-29.87%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$45.05 MYR 178

86.44%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$9.33 MYR 36.84

138.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$30.41 MYR 120

-2.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$36.32 MYR 143

44.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$6.06 MYR 23.95

202.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$5.07 MYR 20.04

-2.37%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$189 MYR 745

5.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,784 MYR 26.8K

-21.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$64.7 MYR 256

-44.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$18.50 MYR 73.1

116.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$69.6 MYR 275

13.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$47.81 MYR 189

80.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$383 MYR 1,514

154.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$271 MYR 1,070

73.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$644 MYR 2,543

147.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$468 MYR 1,849

159.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,744 MYR 6,888

131.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$874 MYR 3,452

652.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$870 MYR 3,438

-17.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.07

180.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $383 in Ulu Tiram. 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 22% higher in Ulu Tiram, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $19 in Ulu Tiram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $229 – making Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,263 in Ulu Tiram. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulu Tiram, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $842 in Ulu Tiram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 120% less in Ulu Tiram. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulu Tiram, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Ulu Tiram it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulu Tiram – 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 Ulu Tiram. 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.