Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Upala Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Upala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,324 in Upala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,967 in Upala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,610 in Upala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 2% cheaper than Upala, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Upala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Upala 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$10.97 ₡4,951

6.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$48.79 ₡22.0K

-14.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$9.75 ₡4,399

6.77%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.43 ₡1,546

5.25%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$1.63 ₡734

-10.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.61 ₡725

-39.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.92 ₡1,316

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$4.54 ₡2,050

1.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.00 ₡903

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.53 ₡689

24.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.21 ₡998

-28.96%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.44 ₡1,103

8.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$2.91 ₡1,313

190.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.11 ₡2,756

40.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.92 ₡3,574

38.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.54 ₡696

75.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.61 ₡276

147.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.58 ₡1,164

-25.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.34 ₡1,056

-7.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$3.33 ₡1,504

-43.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.41 ₡1,089

-7.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.95 ₡428

13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$2.35 ₡1,060

-54.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$5.23 ₡2,358

-20.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$8.98 ₡4,053

14.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.40 ₡1,083

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.89 ₡1,302

-12.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.95 ₡427

-42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.86 ₡839

72.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.83 ₡827

34.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$6.15 ₡2,773

-47.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.24 ₡561

6.45%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$37.3K ₡16.8M

-19.23%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$33.0K ₡14.9M

-29.04%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$50.2 ₡22.7K

61.92%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$25.60 ₡11.6K

-12.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$20.19 ₡9,110

48.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$57.5 ₡26.0K

-10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$23.83 ₡10.8K

-22.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$9.93 ₡4,480

-48.04%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$573 ₡258.4K

-64.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-58.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$30.42 ₡13.7K

17.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$19.59 ₡8,836

106.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$124 ₡56.1K

-36.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$29.42 ₡13.3K

195.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$768 ₡346.6K

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$587 ₡265.0K

-18.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,524 ₡687.3K

6.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$977 ₡440.5K

25.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

10.17

12.29%

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 Upala: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $768 in Upala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Upala. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $233 in Upala – so Upala 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 Upala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Upala is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,986 in Upala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,324 in Upala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $573 in Upala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Upala at $1,324. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Upala it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Upala makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.