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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $242 in Urganch, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $424 in Urganch, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $605 in Urganch, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 431% more than Urganch, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Urganch are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Urganch 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.89 UZS 46.9K

206.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$27.58 UZS 332.1K

55.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.54 UZS 18.5K

135.06%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.77 UZS 9,312

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.23 UZS 2,765

308.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.19 UZS 14.4K

159.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.62 UZS 19.5K

16.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.83 UZS 22.0K

-10.93%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.50 UZS 18.1K

76.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$5.03 UZS 60.6K

120.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.73 UZS 20.8K

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.24 UZS 2,869

333.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.18 UZS 2,108

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.25 UZS 51.1K

428.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$140 UZS 1.7M

586.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$118 UZS 1.4M

294.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$249 UZS 3.0M

540.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$200 UZS 2.4M

504.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,932 UZS 35.3M

34.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$3,563 UZS 42.9M

80.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$413 UZS 5.0M

74.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Urganch: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $140 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 74% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Urganch. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $58.0 – 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 431%, 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 $363 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 334% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $28.00 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 $242, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.