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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $723 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,386 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,049 in Umm As-summaq, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% 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 5% lower, Umm As-summaq 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$6.30 JOD 4.46

88.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$49.89 JOD 35.31

-14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.07 JOD 3.59

110.06%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.22 JOD 2.99

-18.25%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.48 JOD 0.34

212.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.34 JOD 0.24

179.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.58 JOD 3.95

-45.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$7.15 JOD 5.06

-35.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.24 JOD 0.88

11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.36 JOD 0.26

413.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.44 JOD 1.02

11.81%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.55 JOD 1.81

1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$2.88 JOD 2.04

186.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.65 JOD 4.70

25.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.46 JOD 8.11

-6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.39 JOD 0.99

89.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.74 JOD 0.52

101.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.44 JOD 1.02

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.29 JOD 0.21

620.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.34 JOD 0.24

447.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.29 JOD 0.21

679.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.66 JOD 0.46

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.63 JOD 0.44

73.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.58 JOD 2.53

15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$16.81 JOD 11.90

-38.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$4.63 JOD 3.28

-62.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$5.31 JOD 3.76

-50.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.74 JOD 0.52

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.70 JOD 0.49

347.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.29 JOD 0.21

765.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.93 JOD 4.90

-54.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.39 JOD 0.98

-8.63%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

13.99%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$32.2K JOD 22.8K

-26.85%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$107 JOD 75.4

-22.09%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$17.31 JOD 12.25

31.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$32.01 JOD 22.66

-7.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$40.41 JOD 28.60

26.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$35.87 JOD 25.39

-48.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.45 JOD 8.11

-56.94%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$274 JOD 194

-27.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$5,354 JOD 3,789

-1.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$60.6 JOD 42.87

-39.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$56.7 JOD 40.10

-29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$114 JOD 80.7

-29.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$81.5 JOD 57.7

9.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$388 JOD 275

146.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$471 JOD 334

249.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$362 JOD 256

238.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,699 JOD 1,202

130.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$845 JOD 598

-21.08%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Umm As-summaq: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 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 27% 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 – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $206 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 76%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,084 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $723 in Umm As-summaq. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $274 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 $723, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.