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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,203 in Umluj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,846 in Umluj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,489 in Umluj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 5% more than Umluj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Umluj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Umluj 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$6.57 SAR 24.67

78.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$44.50 SAR 167

-5.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.94 SAR 29.83

32.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.74 SAR 14.03

-4.01%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.80 SAR 3.00

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.29 SAR 1.07

217.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.94 SAR 3.51

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.28 SAR 8.56

-31.58%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.44 SAR 9.16

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.84 SAR 25.67

21.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.63 SAR 28.65

9.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.88 SAR 48.37

-15.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.25 SAR 8.46

20.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.65 SAR 6.21

-8.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.72 SAR 6.47

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.55 SAR 5.81

41.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.25 SAR 4.69

48.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.28 SAR 4.81

74.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.19 SAR 4.49

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.56 SAR 2.10

94.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.06 SAR 26.51

-40.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$40.31 SAR 151

-35.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.69 SAR 10.11

14.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.88 SAR 7.07

27.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$13.34 SAR 50.1

-76.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.65 SAR 2.44

101.54%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

12.57%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

6.29%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$107 SAR 402

-23.99%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$34.12 SAR 128

-33.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$71.5 SAR 269

-57.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$87.1 SAR 327

-39.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$36.17 SAR 136

-49.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.56 SAR 58.4

-68.38%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$353 SAR 1,324

-43.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,914 SAR 26.0K

-25.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$60.0 SAR 225

-40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$59.7 SAR 224

-32.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$79.9 SAR 300

-0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$82.1 SAR 308

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$438 SAR 1,644

123.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$380 SAR 1,428

23.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$836 SAR 3,139

97.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$621 SAR 2,331

93.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,392 SAR 8,983

65.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,226 SAR 4,605

438.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$4,239 SAR 15.9K

-84.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.42

158.37%

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 Umluj: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $438 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 526% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Umluj. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $196 in Umluj – so Umluj wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 5%, 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 $1,805 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,203 in Umluj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $1,203, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.