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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,208 in Umluj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,829 in Umluj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,449 in Umluj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Umluj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Umluj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Umluj 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$6.58 SAR 24.70

78.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$45.13 SAR 169

-7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.12 SAR 30.48

28.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.58 SAR 13.42

0.84%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.79 SAR 2.98

84.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.31 SAR 1.18

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.98 SAR 3.68

93.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-34.31%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.52 SAR 9.44

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.95 SAR 26.09

21.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$7.37 SAR 27.64

16.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$13.15 SAR 49.36

-16.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.28 SAR 8.56

18.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.66 SAR 6.21

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.75 SAR 6.58

9.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.55 SAR 5.83

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.27 SAR 4.78

47.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.32 SAR 4.94

68.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.17 SAR 4.41

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.55 SAR 2.05

94.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$7.18 SAR 26.96

-42.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-49.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$40.13 SAR 151

-34.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.60 SAR 9.77

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.90 SAR 7.15

29.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$13.17 SAR 49.44

-75.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.63 SAR 2.37

109.52%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$27.2K SAR 101.9K

11.00%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

5.29%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$106 SAR 399

-23.42%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$34.23 SAR 128

-34.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$72.9 SAR 274

-58.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$86.8 SAR 326

-40.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$35.20 SAR 132

-47.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$15.41 SAR 57.8

-66.52%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$356 SAR 1,334

-43.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$6,995 SAR 26.2K

-24.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$59.6 SAR 223

-40.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$59.7 SAR 224

-32.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$78.1 SAR 293

0.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$82.3 SAR 309

5.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$440 SAR 1,652

115.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$380 SAR 1,426

25.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$840 SAR 3,151

92.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$616 SAR 2,312

98.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$2,338 SAR 8,775

71.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$1,315 SAR 4,934

392.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$4,252 SAR 16.0K

-84.18%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Umluj: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 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 532% 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 $45.00 in Umluj. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 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 7%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,812 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,208 in Umluj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% 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 $1,208, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.