Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Umm As-summaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Umm As-summaq

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $728 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,377 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,027 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Umm As-summaq, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Umm As-summaq are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Umm As-summaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$6.50 JOD 4.61

83.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$50.1 JOD 35.54

-14.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$4.88 JOD 3.46

117.01%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$4.15 JOD 2.94

-12.77%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.48 JOD 0.34

206.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.34 JOD 0.24

176.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$5.73 JOD 4.06

-46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$7.08 JOD 5.02

-37.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.31 JOD 0.93

9.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.33 JOD 0.24

469.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.39 JOD 0.98

17.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.48 JOD 1.76

6.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$2.80 JOD 1.99

193.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.53 JOD 4.63

26.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.39 JOD 8.07

-2.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.43 JOD 1.02

85.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.73 JOD 0.52

105.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.42 JOD 1.01

40.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.29 JOD 0.21

617.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.33 JOD 0.24

442.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.29 JOD 0.21

651.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.64 JOD 0.46

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.63 JOD 0.44

65.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$3.63 JOD 2.58

9.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$17.02 JOD 12.06

-40.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$4.85 JOD 3.44

-64.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$5.53 JOD 3.92

-54.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.70 JOD 0.50

-25.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.75 JOD 0.53

318.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.27 JOD 0.19

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$7.18 JOD 5.09

-56.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.43 JOD 1.01

-11.19%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

15.94%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$32.0K JOD 22.7K

-27.03%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$106 JOD 75.4

-22.92%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$16.91 JOD 11.99

32.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$32.03 JOD 22.71

-7.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$40.99 JOD 29.06

26.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$34.91 JOD 24.75

-46.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$11.13 JOD 7.89

-55.35%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$270 JOD 192

-26.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$5,373 JOD 3,809

-1.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$61.8 JOD 43.83

-41.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$57.2 JOD 40.56

-29.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$116 JOD 82.2

-31.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$81.9 JOD 58.1

8.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$383 JOD 272

151.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$457 JOD 324

249.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$350 JOD 248

245.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,666 JOD 1,181

136.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$733 JOD 520

-1.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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 Umm As-summaq: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $383 in Umm As-summaq. 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 2% higher in Umm As-summaq, 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 $50.0 in Umm As-summaq. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $207 in Umm As-summaq – so Umm As-summaq 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 Umm As-summaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,091 in Umm As-summaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Umm As-summaq, 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 $728 in Umm As-summaq. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $270 in Umm As-summaq. 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 Umm As-summaq, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Umm As-summaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm As-summaq – 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 Umm As-summaq. 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.