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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $840 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,267 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,694 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% 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 5% lower, Ulu Tiram 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.53 MYR 14.30

236.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$18.65 MYR 75.6

130.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.85 MYR 19.66

119.59%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.78 MYR 11.27

24.10%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.72 MYR 2.92

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.39 MYR 1.59

143.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$4.31 MYR 17.47

-29.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.76 MYR 27.43

-31.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.86 MYR 7.55

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.92 MYR 3.74

101.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.29 MYR 5.22

24.81%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.90 MYR 7.72

36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.82 MYR 43.86

-23.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.96 MYR 16.06

111.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.12 MYR 32.93

31.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.76 MYR 11.20

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.51 MYR 6.14

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.55 MYR 10.35

-24.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.26 MYR 5.12

65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.17 MYR 4.75

58.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.32 MYR 5.37

71.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.93 MYR 3.79

13.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.62 MYR 2.53

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.11 MYR 16.66

0.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$17.21 MYR 69.8

-39.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.76 MYR 11.17

-37.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.00 MYR 12.18

-13.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$11.98 MYR 48.58

124.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.02 MYR 4.14

206.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.98 MYR 3.99

156.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$9.35 MYR 37.90

-66.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.50 MYR 2.02

154.00%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$35.3K MYR 143.1K

-13.93%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$33.1K MYR 134.4K

-28.89%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$45.96 MYR 186

80.59%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$9.33 MYR 37.82

143.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$30.60 MYR 124

-3.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$37.60 MYR 152

35.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.72 MYR 23.19

220.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.01 MYR 20.32

-1.60%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$188 MYR 763

4.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,893 MYR 27.9K

-23.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$64.0 MYR 259

-42.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$19.00 MYR 77.0

109.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$70.0 MYR 284

14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$47.07 MYR 191

90.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$387 MYR 1,571

146.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$267 MYR 1,083

78.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$637 MYR 2,581

158.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$472 MYR 1,914

159.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,979 MYR 8,025

97.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$971 MYR 3,938

565.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$863 MYR 3,500

-22.73%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 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 29% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Ulu Tiram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $228 – 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 51%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,260 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $840 in Ulu Tiram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% 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 $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.