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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,168 in Umluj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,752 in Umluj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,336 in Umluj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Umluj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Umluj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Umluj 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.71 SAR 25.22

72.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$36.73 SAR 138

28.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.07 SAR 30.30

47.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.87

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$3.48 SAR 13.06

14.37%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.90 SAR 3.38

58.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.26 SAR 0.98

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.67 SAR 6.26

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.16 SAR 4.34

89.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.16 SAR 8.11

-20.83%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.39 SAR 8.97

14.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.34 SAR 27.58

30.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$7.99 SAR 30.01

12.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.98 SAR 48.77

-1.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.08 SAR 7.82

38.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.57 SAR 5.89

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.63 SAR 6.14

38.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.14 SAR 4.28

73.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.30 SAR 4.88

53.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.14 SAR 4.27

7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.55 SAR 2.06

118.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.47 SAR 24.30

-29.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$35.76 SAR 134

-19.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.96 SAR 11.14

82.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.83 SAR 6.86

103.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$13.29 SAR 49.91

-56.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.65 SAR 2.44

136.92%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$45.8K SAR 172.1K

-50.79%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

20.13%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$98.6 SAR 371

-7.36%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$32.02 SAR 120

-21.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$68.1 SAR 256

-54.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$84.1 SAR 316

-20.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$37.21 SAR 140

-21.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$13.07 SAR 49.10

-62.82%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$341 SAR 1,279

-34.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$6,614 SAR 24.8K

-36.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$49.91 SAR 187

-5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$58.3 SAR 219

-24.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$97.0 SAR 364

-17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$87.9 SAR 330

5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$588 SAR 2,210

80.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$349 SAR 1,311

11.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$883 SAR 3,315

143.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$553 SAR 2,078

129.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,391 SAR 8,982

67.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,395 SAR 5,240

366.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,205 SAR 15.8K

-81.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.47

109.32%

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 Umluj: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $588 in Umluj. 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 455% higher in Umluj, 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 $37.00 in Umluj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $200 – making Umluj 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 Umluj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,752 in Umluj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Umluj, 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 $1,168 in Umluj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Umluj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umluj, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Umluj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umluj – 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 Umluj. 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.