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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $939 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,364 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,789 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% 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 7% lower, Ulu Tiram 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.74 MYR 15.32

210.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$21.40 MYR 87.6

120.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$4.90 MYR 20.06

142.45%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.97 MYR 12.17

34.01%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.78 MYR 3.18

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.45 MYR 1.84

82.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$4.55 MYR 18.62

-29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.29 MYR 25.75

7.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.70 MYR 6.97

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.03 MYR 4.22

113.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.44 MYR 5.88

18.75%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.75 MYR 7.16

56.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$9.70 MYR 39.69

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.22 MYR 17.25

113.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.63 MYR 39.40

33.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.34 MYR 13.67

-13.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.75 MYR 7.15

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-19.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.62 MYR 6.62

39.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.46 MYR 5.98

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.68 MYR 6.89

18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.38 MYR 5.65

-10.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.55 MYR 2.26

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.35 MYR 17.81

4.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$16.96 MYR 69.4

-38.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.97 MYR 12.15

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.11 MYR 12.73

-7.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.69 MYR 2.81

-13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$12.25 MYR 50.2

135.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.25 MYR 5.10

331.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.36 MYR 1.46

936.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$9.32 MYR 38.15

-38.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.78 MYR 3.18

97.44%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$41.2K MYR 168.6K

-45.26%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$35.0K MYR 143.4K

-25.61%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$53.0 MYR 217

72.55%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$8.22 MYR 33.65

206.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$28.97 MYR 119

7.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$40.66 MYR 166

65.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$5.89 MYR 24.10

394.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$4.89 MYR 20.03

-0.61%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$166 MYR 680

34.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$4,502 MYR 18.4K

-6.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$66.6 MYR 273

-29.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$17.16 MYR 70.2

158.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$77.4 MYR 317

3.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$48.28 MYR 198

91.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$395 MYR 1,617

168.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$299 MYR 1,224

30.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$686 MYR 2,808

213.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$487 MYR 1,995

161.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,014 MYR 8,244

98.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,143 MYR 4,678

468.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$853 MYR 3,491

-11.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.06

182.02%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $395 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 12% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Ulu Tiram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $240 – 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 35%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,408 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $939 in Ulu Tiram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 135% 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 $939, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.