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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,237 in Umluj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,848 in Umluj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,460 in Umluj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Umluj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Umluj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Umluj 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$6.58 SAR 24.68

81.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$45.36 SAR 170

-5.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.21 SAR 30.78

28.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.75 SAR 14.08

-3.47%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.80 SAR 2.99

83.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.31 SAR 1.18

203.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.95 SAR 3.55

97.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-30.93%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.48 SAR 9.31

6.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.76 SAR 25.35

21.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.32 SAR 27.44

13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.24 SAR 49.64

-16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.27 SAR 8.51

16.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.67 SAR 6.28

19.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.61 SAR 6.03

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.28 SAR 4.81

39.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.28 SAR 4.81

70.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.17 SAR 4.40

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.55 SAR 2.07

89.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 SAR 12.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$7.13 SAR 26.75

-44.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-50.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$39.24 SAR 147

-31.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.69 SAR 10.10

16.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.90 SAR 7.13

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$13.40 SAR 50.3

-76.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.60 SAR 2.24

111.67%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

17.39%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

2.73%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$106 SAR 398

-22.79%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$33.78 SAR 127

-33.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$72.8 SAR 273

-59.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$88.6 SAR 332

-41.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$36.32 SAR 136

-48.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.81 SAR 59.3

-68.56%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$350 SAR 1,312

-43.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,866 SAR 25.7K

-23.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$58.5 SAR 219

-37.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$59.9 SAR 225

-33.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$80.6 SAR 302

-0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$81.3 SAR 305

9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$440 SAR 1,649

119.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$388 SAR 1,456

19.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$861 SAR 3,229

85.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$633 SAR 2,372

91.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,328 SAR 8,731

69.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,358 SAR 5,093

374.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$4,303 SAR 16.1K

-83.26%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Umluj: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $440 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 497% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Umluj. Groceries tell a different story – $251 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 4%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,855 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,237 in Umluj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% 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 $1,237, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.