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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $420 in Urganch, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $721 in Urganch, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,022 in Urganch, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 201% more than Urganch, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Urganch are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Urganch 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.84 UZS 45.2K

202.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$30.01 UZS 352.9K

56.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$3.83 UZS 45.1K

210.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.92 UZS 22.6K

107.29%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.81 UZS 9,496

76.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.24 UZS 2,809

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.26 UZS 14.8K

153.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.94 UZS 11.0K

78.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.98 UZS 11.6K

124.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.53 UZS 18.0K

11.76%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.89 UZS 22.2K

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.72 UZS 55.5K

102.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.02 UZS 59.0K

79.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.36 UZS 86.6K

74.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.34 UZS 15.7K

115.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.80 UZS 21.2K

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.50 UZS 29.4K

-14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.11 UZS 24.8K

7.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.78 UZS 9,200

153.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.50 UZS 5,852

298.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.73 UZS 8,622

68.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.44 UZS 5,136

172.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.92 UZS 22.6K

136.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.31 UZS 3,647

93.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.32 UZS 3,813

1584.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.40 UZS 4,732

832.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.14 UZS 13.4K

35.09%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

$3.55 UZS 41.7K

609.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$10.17 UZS 119.6K

207.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$14.44 UZS 169.9K

365.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.22 UZS 49.6K

15.17%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$12.89 UZS 151.5K

265.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$12.52 UZS 147.2K

253.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$41.97 UZS 493.6K

120.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$162 UZS 1.9M

554.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$128 UZS 1.5M

204.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$276 UZS 3.2M

679.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$208 UZS 2.4M

510.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$3,092 UZS 36.4M

29.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$3,592 UZS 42.2M

81.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$420 UZS 4.9M

80.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Urganch: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $162 in Urganch. 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 81% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Urganch. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $144 – making Urganch the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Urganch: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 201%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $630 in Urganch. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Urganch, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 92% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $30.00 in Urganch. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Urganch, where all-in costs run around $420, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Urganch it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Urganch – 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 Urganch. 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.