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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Umluj vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,829 per month in Umluj vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,449 per month in Umluj vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Umluj is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Umluj and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Umluj 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 SAR 24.70

$11.73 MX$202

-43.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.13 SAR 169

$41.78 MX$719

8.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 SAR 30.48

$10.41 MX$179

-22.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.42

$3.61 MX$62.1

-0.83%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.98

$1.46 MX$25.06

-45.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.97 MX$16.70

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.43 MX$24.59

14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.90 MX$32.70

-48.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$1.57 MX$26.95

52.23%

Eggs

$2.52 SAR 9.44

$2.64 MX$45.34

-4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.95 SAR 26.09

$8.44 MX$145

-17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 SAR 27.64

$8.58 MX$148

-14.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 SAR 49.36

$11.00 MX$189

19.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.56

$2.70 MX$46.51

-15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.21

$1.51 MX$25.92

9.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.91 MX$32.93

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$2.17 MX$37.37

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$1.87 MX$32.25

-32.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$2.23 MX$38.43

-40.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 SAR 4.41

$1.08 MX$18.60

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$1.07 MX$18.47

-48.60%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.18 SAR 26.96

$4.16 MX$71.6

72.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.55 MX$9.53

96.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.13 SAR 151

$26.29 MX$452

52.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.77

$3.20 MX$55.0

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

$2.46 MX$42.37

-22.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$3.20 MX$55.0

311.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.32 MX$22.72

-52.27%

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

$27.2K SAR 101.9K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-9.91%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

-5.03%

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

$106 SAR 399

$81.4 MX$1,400

30.58%

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

$34.23 SAR 128

$22.41 MX$386

52.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 SAR 274

$29.97 MX$516

143.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.8 SAR 326

$51.6 MX$887

68.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.20 SAR 132

$18.39 MX$316

91.41%

Cinema Ticket

$15.41 SAR 57.8

$5.16 MX$88.9

198.64%

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

$356 SAR 1,334

$202 MX$3,471

76.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,995 SAR 26.2K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

31.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 223

$35.61 MX$613

67.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 SAR 224

$40.37 MX$695

47.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 SAR 293

$78.6 MX$1,353

-0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$86.9 MX$1,495

-5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,652

$950 MX$16.3K

-53.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,426

$478 MX$8,227

-20.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,151

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-48.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 SAR 2,312

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-49.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,338 SAR 8,775

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-41.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 SAR 4,934

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-79.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,252 SAR 16.0K

$673 MX$11.6K

531.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

11.42

-61.30%

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

Last update for Umluj: June 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Umluj versus $950 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.

Salaries run about 532% higher in Umluj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Umluj versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Umluj vs $254 in Playa del Carmen – so Umluj 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,812 per month in Umluj and $1,941 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 Umluj, 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 $1,208 in Umluj and $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Umluj. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Umluj, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Umluj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umluj – 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 Umluj. 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.