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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Ube vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,933 per month in Ube vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,604 per month in Ube vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ube is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ube and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ube 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ¥1,121

$11.73 MX$203

-40.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.18 ¥5,468

$41.62 MX$721

-17.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 ¥861

$10.64 MX$184

-49.44%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥497

$3.52 MX$61.0

-11.65%

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

$1.14 ¥183

$1.51 MX$26.17

-24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.97 MX$16.87

-16.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ¥342

$2.95 MX$51.1

-27.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ¥492

$4.45 MX$77.2

-30.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥243

$1.38 MX$23.97

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.89 MX$32.78

-14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥777

$1.64 MX$28.37

196.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ¥353

$2.51 MX$43.42

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 ¥1,643

$8.34 MX$145

23.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$8.34 MX$145

-23.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 ¥2,504

$10.73 MX$186

45.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 ¥864

$2.60 MX$45.12

107.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥428

$1.46 MX$25.25

83.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 ¥646

$1.90 MX$32.94

112.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 ¥711

$2.08 MX$35.98

113.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.19 ¥510

$1.78 MX$30.77

79.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 ¥423

$2.19 MX$37.87

20.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$1.04 MX$18.02

33.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥134

$1.08 MX$18.66

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ¥646

$4.08 MX$70.7

-0.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 ¥1,032

$10.32 MX$179

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ¥317

$1.71 MX$29.67

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ¥378

$2.58 MX$44.63

-8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 ¥265

$0.51 MX$8.83

223.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.4 ¥9,020

$26.46 MX$459

113.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 ¥551

$3.26 MX$56.5

5.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.98 ¥476

$2.49 MX$43.17

19.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.14 ¥3,381

$3.25 MX$56.3

550.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.31 MX$22.65

-9.16%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-22.79%

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

$16.8K ¥2.7M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-28.11%

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

$138 ¥22.1K

$82.9 MX$1,436

66.61%

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

$27.00 ¥4,318

$22.22 MX$385

21.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.14 ¥5,460

$29.34 MX$508

16.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥9,077

$51.6 MX$895

9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.70 ¥2,191

$18.32 MX$317

-25.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 ¥2,130

$5.07 MX$87.8

162.52%

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

$282 ¥45.1K

$201 MX$3,480

40.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K ¥2.2M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

160.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.38 ¥6,938

$36.92 MX$640

17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 ¥4,805

$39.79 MX$689

-24.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.1 ¥9,460

$78.5 MX$1,360

-24.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 ¥14.5K

$87.1 MX$1,509

3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 ¥74.4K

$973 MX$16.9K

-52.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥53.5K

$468 MX$8,105

-28.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ¥138.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ¥105.5K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-45.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 ¥457.9K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-27.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,828 ¥292.4K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-71.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

11.42

-84.15%

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

Last update for Ube: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Ube versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $34.00 in Ube versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $309 in Ube vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Ube vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,893 per month in Ube and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ube, 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 $1,262 in Ube and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 113% less in Ube. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ube, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ube it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ube – 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 Ube. 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.