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 $1,237 per month in Umluj vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Umluj vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,460 per month in Umluj vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Umluj is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Umluj and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Umluj 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 SAR 24.68

$11.94 MX$208

-44.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 SAR 170

$42.75 MX$744

6.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 SAR 30.78

$10.59 MX$184

-22.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$3.75 SAR 14.08

$3.62 MX$63.0

3.59%

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

$0.80 SAR 2.99

$1.47 MX$25.54

-45.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.94 MX$16.41

-67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.43 MX$24.80

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.55

$1.88 MX$32.79

-49.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.63 MX$28.34

44.79%

Eggs

$2.48 SAR 9.31

$2.64 MX$45.99

-6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 SAR 25.35

$8.21 MX$143

-17.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.44

$8.29 MX$144

-11.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 SAR 49.64

$11.10 MX$193

19.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.51

$2.65 MX$46.14

-14.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.50 MX$26.11

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.99 MX$34.59

-16.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.03

$2.08 MX$36.13

-22.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.79 MX$31.11

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$2.18 MX$37.87

-41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 SAR 4.40

$1.08 MX$18.73

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$1.04 MX$18.04

-47.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 SAR 12.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.36

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$3.97 MX$69.1

79.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.52 MX$9.02

103.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 SAR 147

$26.97 MX$469

45.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$3.14 MX$54.7

-14.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$2.40 MX$41.80

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.40 SAR 50.3

$3.09 MX$53.7

333.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.27 MX$22.16

-52.76%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-14.81%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-2.66%

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

$106 SAR 398

$82.0 MX$1,427

29.52%

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

$33.78 SAR 127

$22.45 MX$391

50.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 SAR 273

$29.66 MX$516

145.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.6 SAR 332

$51.9 MX$903

70.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.32 SAR 136

$18.67 MX$325

94.54%

Cinema Ticket

$15.81 SAR 59.3

$4.97 MX$86.5

218.11%

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

$350 SAR 1,312

$198 MX$3,442

76.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 SAR 25.7K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

30.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 SAR 219

$36.34 MX$632

60.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.9 SAR 225

$40.05 MX$697

49.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 SAR 302

$79.9 MX$1,390

0.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 SAR 305

$88.9 MX$1,547

-8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,649

$963 MX$16.8K

-54.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 SAR 1,456

$465 MX$8,086

-16.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 SAR 3,229

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-46.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,372

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-47.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,328 SAR 8,731

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-40.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 SAR 5,093

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-78.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,303 SAR 16.1K

$720 MX$12.5K

497.24%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Umluj versus $963 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 497% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Umluj vs $251 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 4%, 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 $1,855 per month in Umluj and $1,930 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 $1,237 in Umluj and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% 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 $1,237, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.