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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $857 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,302 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,747 in Ulu Tiram, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.51 MYR 14.35

233.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$726

$19.02 MYR 77.7

120.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.84 MYR 19.78

117.15%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.1

$2.80 MYR 11.44

28.21%

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

$1.51 MX$26.13

$0.68 MYR 2.79

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.86

$0.39 MYR 1.60

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$4.36 MYR 17.81

-32.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.4

$6.46 MYR 26.40

-31.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$1.81 MYR 7.41

-22.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.65

$1.01 MYR 4.13

86.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.01

$1.29 MYR 5.29

20.93%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.20

$1.81 MYR 7.39

44.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.79 MYR 44.04

-22.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.05 MYR 16.54

106.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.27 MYR 33.78

31.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.00

$2.69 MYR 10.99

0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.08

$1.52 MYR 6.21

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.46

$2.44 MYR 9.96

-23.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.94

$1.24 MYR 5.07

76.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.18

$1.13 MYR 4.62

64.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.64

$1.39 MYR 5.69

60.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.51

$0.91 MYR 3.71

17.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.82

$0.64 MYR 2.61

70.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.5

$4.13 MYR 16.85

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$181

$16.83 MYR 68.7

-38.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.72

$2.85 MYR 11.65

-41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.26

$3.04 MYR 12.40

-14.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

$0.68 MYR 2.79

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$11.81 MYR 48.22

121.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.02 MYR 4.17

201.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.66

$0.99 MYR 4.03

142.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$9.34 MYR 38.12

-66.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$0.47 MYR 1.91

178.72%

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

$29.8K MX$516.4K

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

-15.61%

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

$23.3K MX$404.1K

$33.5K MYR 136.7K

-30.33%

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

$81.3 MX$1,408

$45.37 MYR 185

79.15%

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

$22.56 MX$391

$8.92 MYR 36.42

152.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$521

$30.40 MYR 124

-1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

$36.52 MYR 149

44.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$5.98 MYR 24.40

207.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.2

$5.08 MYR 20.74

-3.15%

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

$201 MX$3,479

$190 MYR 774

5.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.7K

$6,837 MYR 27.9K

-24.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$64.2 MYR 262

-44.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$695

$18.86 MYR 77.0

112.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,381

$71.0 MYR 290

12.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,498

$46.40 MYR 189

86.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$390 MYR 1,594

150.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

$272 MYR 1,109

73.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$642 MYR 2,620

157.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

$469 MYR 1,917

156.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

$2,064 MYR 8,428

91.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

$1,147 MYR 4,682

476.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$861 MYR 3,516

-21.41%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $390 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 27% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Ulu Tiram. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 47%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,286 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $857 in Ulu Tiram. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 122% 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 $857, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.