Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Uruapan del Progreso Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Uruapan del Progreso

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,122 in Uruapan del Progreso, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,736 in Uruapan del Progreso, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,351 in Uruapan del Progreso, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 13% more than Uruapan del Progreso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Uruapan del Progreso are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Uruapan del Progreso 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$6.19 MX$106
91.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$15.56 MX$267
175.71%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$6.48 MX$111
64.35%
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$2.74 MX$47.08
25.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$0.74 MX$12.73
102.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.51 MX$8.73
86.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
$2.15 MX$36.87
40.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
$2.32 MX$39.76
98.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$1.15 MX$19.67
20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$2.63 MX$45.11
-29.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$1.29 MX$22.10
24.81%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$2.61 MX$44.84
-0.77%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$7.85 MX$135
5.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$9.93 MX$170
-15.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$12.51 MX$215
-14.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$3.04 MX$52.2
-13.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$1.63 MX$27.97
-8.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$0.99 MX$17.03
93.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$1.03 MX$17.73
102.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$1.90 MX$32.65
-2.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$1.13 MX$19.45
100.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$1.35 MX$23.13
-21.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.83 MX$14.18
31.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$4.34 MX$74.4
-4.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
$12.13 MX$208
-14.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
$2.18 MX$37.40
-21.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
$3.65 MX$62.7
-28.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.50 MX$8.66
8.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$4.32 MX$74.2
-27.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$1.23 MX$21.19
104.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$8.08 MX$139
-61.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$1.05 MX$18.04
20.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$18.6K MX$319.3K
63.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$21.5K MX$369.5K
9.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$58.8 MX$1,009
41.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$21.64 MX$372
4.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$31.46 MX$540
-6.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$35.78 MX$614
42.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$15.58 MX$267
17.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$3.68 MX$63.1
33.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$350 MX$6,002
-43.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$4,787 MX$82.2K
10.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$62.9 MX$1,080
-41.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$58.4 MX$1,002
-31.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$109 MX$1,864
-26.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$142 MX$2,430
-36.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$508 MX$8,714
88.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$392 MX$6,737
21.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$938 MX$16.1K
75.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$759 MX$13.0K
61.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$2,091 MX$35.9K
87.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
$1,344 MX$23.1K
380.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Uruapan del Progreso
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
$466 MX$7,990
43.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
12.17
-6.16%

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 Uruapan del Progreso: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $508 in Uruapan del Progreso. 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 43% 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 $16.00 in Uruapan del Progreso. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $264 in Uruapan del Progreso – so Playa del Carmen 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 Uruapan del Progreso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uruapan del Progreso cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,682 in Uruapan del Progreso. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Uruapan del Progreso, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Uruapan del Progreso?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,122 in Uruapan del Progreso. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $350 in Uruapan del Progreso. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Uruapan del Progreso?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Uruapan del Progreso, where all-in costs run around $1,122, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Uruapan del Progreso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Uruapan del Progreso more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Uruapan del Progreso – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Uruapan del Progreso. 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.

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