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

🙂 Solo nomad: Ulaanbaatar is 19.4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 10.7% cheaper with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Ulaanbaatar is 3.1% more expensive than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 20.5% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.44 MNT 19.4K
$11.99 MX$227
-54.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.87 MNT 103.2K
$42.47 MX$803
-32.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.58 MNT 20K
$10.47 MX$198
-46.70%
Cappuccino
$2.52 MNT 9,023
$3.6 MX$68.2
-30.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 MNT 2,524
$1.44 MX$27.16
-50.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 MNT 1,670
$0.89 MX$16.79
-47.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.08 MNT 7,450
$3.09 MX$58.5
-32.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.4 MNT 8,594
$4.58 MX$86.6
-47.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 MNT 5,229
$1.38 MX$26.04
5.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 MNT 3,668
$1.85 MX$34.9
-44.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 MNT 7,226
$1.57 MX$29.68
28.66%
Eggs
$2.15 MNT 7,682
$2.55 MX$48.3
-15.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.82 MNT 56.6K
$8.61 MX$163
83.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.82 MNT 20.8K
$8.54 MX$161
-31.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.31 MNT 22.6K
$10.98 MX$208
-42.53%
Apples (1kg)
$3.13 MNT 11.2K
$2.72 MX$51.4
15.07%
Banana (1kg)
$2.57 MNT 9,174
$1.51 MX$28.57
70.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.37 MNT 15.6K
$1.88 MX$35.63
132.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.74 MNT 9,814
$2.19 MX$41.42
25.11%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 MNT 2,750
$1.87 MX$35.3
-58.82%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 MNT 3,622
$2.19 MX$41.37
-53.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.31 MNT 4,694
$1.07 MX$20.23
22.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69 MNT 2,456
$1.09 MX$20.64
-36.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.72 MNT 6,156
$3.96 MX$74.9
-56.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.57 MNT 34.2K
$8.86 MX$167
8.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 MNT 4,936
$1.72 MX$32.53
-19.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 MNT 6,220
$2.61 MX$49.37
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.3 MNT 1,086
$0.52 MX$9.74
-42.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.75 MNT 31.3K
$26.59 MX$503
-67.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.61 MNT 2,188
$3.24 MX$61.2
-81.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.6 MNT 2,156
$2.38 MX$44.94
-74.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.58 MNT 16.4K
$3.11 MX$58.7
47.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 MNT 3,856
$1.31 MX$24.85
-17.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MNT 108.5M
$30.3K MX$573K
0.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.4K MNT 65.8M
$24K MX$453.6K
-23.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.7 MNT 292.1K
$84.2 MX$1,592
-3.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.52 MNT 26.9K
$22.14 MX$419
-66.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.3 MNT 61.9K
$30.14 MX$570
-42.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.1 MNT 218.6K
$52 MX$983
17.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14 MNT 50.1K
$18.72 MX$354
-25.21%
Cinema Ticket
$3.87 MNT 13.8K
$5.07 MX$95.9
-23.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$173 MNT 619.9K
$200 MX$3,787
-13.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,495 MNT 23.2M
$5,333 MX$100.8K
21.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 MNT 303K
$35.74 MX$676
137.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$69.8 MNT 249.6K
$39.8 MX$753
75.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MNT 362.3K
$79 MX$1,493
28.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 MNT 579.3K
$88.4 MX$1,671
83.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$517 MNT 1.8M
$965 MX$18.3K
-46.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$411 MNT 1.5M
$474 MX$8,968
-13.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,506 MNT 5.4M
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-8.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$756 MNT 2.7M
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-37.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,834 MNT 6.6M
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-40.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$889 MNT 3.2M
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-88.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ulaanbaatar
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$531 MNT 1.9M
$792 MX$15K
-32.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6
11.42
-47.46%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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