Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ulyanovsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ulyanovsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $840 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,254 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,669 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Ulyanovsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ulyanovsk are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ulyanovsk 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.09 ₽724

28.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$31.30 ₽2,491

33.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.55 ₽442

89.37%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.31 ₽184

55.41%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$1.06 ₽84.0

42.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.48 ₽38.32

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$0.86 ₽68.6

244.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.60 ₽127

175.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.11 ₽88.5

26.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.64 ₽50.8

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.19 ₽94.8

31.09%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.51 ₽120

72.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.12 ₽726

-8.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.78 ₽380

74.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.62 ₽686

25.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.30 ₽103

108.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.51 ₽120

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.50 ₽119

24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.68 ₽134

30.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.67 ₽53.5

177.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.42 ₽33.78

430.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.72 ₽137

-37.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.50 ₽40.14

118.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.41 ₽112

197.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$4.52 ₽359

130.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$0.90 ₽71.9

84.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.76 ₽140

48.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.44 ₽34.94

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.93 ₽154

59.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.17 ₽13.85

1311.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.87 ₽308

-19.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.74 ₽59.2

77.03%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$47.9K ₽3.8M

-37.73%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$44.0K ₽3.5M

-46.94%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$102 ₽8,127

-20.40%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$5.65 ₽450

299.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.60 ₽446

436.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$35.23 ₽2,804

50.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.05 ₽322

21.48%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$87.8 ₽6,990

128.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,071 ₽483.2K

-14.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$101 ₽8,022

-64.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$47.28 ₽3,763

-15.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$88.7 ₽7,058

-10.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$77.4 ₽6,160

11.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$317 ₽25.2K

208.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$231 ₽18.3K

104.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$569 ₽45.2K

190.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$300 ₽23.9K

301.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,226 ₽177.2K

77.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,328 ₽105.7K

397.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$674 ₽53.6K

0.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

15.33

-25.51%

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 Ulyanovsk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $317 in Ulyanovsk. 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 0% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Ulyanovsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $168 – making Ulyanovsk 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 Ulyanovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,260 in Ulyanovsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulyanovsk, 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 $840 in Ulyanovsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $87.8 in Ulyanovsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulyanovsk, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Ulyanovsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulyanovsk – 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 Ulyanovsk. 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.