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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $237 in Urganch, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $425 in Urganch, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $613 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 5% lower, Urganch 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.91 UZS 46.7K

199.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$27.18 UZS 324.9K

54.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.55 UZS 18.6K

131.61%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.77 UZS 9,176

96.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.23 UZS 2,750

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.21 UZS 14.5K

144.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.59 UZS 19.0K

18.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.74 UZS 20.8K

-10.34%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.42 UZS 17.0K

83.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.02 UZS 60.0K

116.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.69 UZS 20.2K

-10.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.24 UZS 2,855

354.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.15 UZS 1,738

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.24 UZS 50.7K

432.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$139 UZS 1.7M

602.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$118 UZS 1.4M

298.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$248 UZS 3.0M

564.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$198 UZS 2.4M

507.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,971 UZS 35.5M

33.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$3,654 UZS 43.7M

80.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$414 UZS 4.9M

63.49%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Urganch: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $139 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 63% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Urganch. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $57.0 – 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $356 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 345% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $27.00 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 $237, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.