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 $1,168 per month in Umluj vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Umluj vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,336 per month in Umluj vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Umluj is about 8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Umluj and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Umluj 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 SAR 25.22

$11.60 MX$200

-42.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.73 SAR 138

$47.11 MX$811

-22.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.30

$11.88 MX$205

-32.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.87

Cappuccino

$3.48 SAR 13.06

$3.98 MX$68.5

-12.56%

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

$0.90 SAR 3.38

$1.43 MX$24.57

-37.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.82 MX$14.20

-68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.68 MX$28.85

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 SAR 4.34

$2.20 MX$37.83

-47.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$1.71 MX$29.41

26.32%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.74 MX$47.20

-12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 SAR 27.58

$9.58 MX$165

-23.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 SAR 30.01

$9.01 MX$155

-11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 SAR 48.77

$12.81 MX$221

1.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$2.89 MX$49.74

-28.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.50 MX$25.78

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.15 MX$36.98

-26.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$2.26 MX$38.91

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$1.98 MX$34.10

-42.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.99 MX$34.26

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.23 MX$21.25

-7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.06

$1.20 MX$20.60

-54.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.30

$4.55 MX$78.3

42.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$0.60 MX$10.34

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.76 SAR 134

$28.80 MX$496

24.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SAR 11.14

$5.39 MX$92.8

-45.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$3.73 MX$64.2

-50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.29 SAR 49.91

$5.77 MX$99.3

130.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.54 MX$26.45

-57.79%

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

$45.8K SAR 172.1K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

103.20%

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

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-16.76%

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

$98.6 SAR 371

$91.4 MX$1,573

7.94%

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

$32.02 SAR 120

$25.20 MX$434

27.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 SAR 256

$31.24 MX$538

118.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.1 SAR 316

$67.2 MX$1,157

25.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.21 SAR 140

$29.11 MX$501

27.83%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 SAR 49.10

$4.86 MX$83.7

168.93%

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

$341 SAR 1,279

$224 MX$3,851

52.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,614 SAR 24.8K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

56.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.91 SAR 187

$47.10 MX$811

5.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 SAR 219

$44.29 MX$763

31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 SAR 364

$80.1 MX$1,379

21.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 SAR 330

$92.7 MX$1,596

-5.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 SAR 2,210

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-44.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,311

$390 MX$6,719

-10.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 SAR 3,315

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-58.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,078

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-56.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 SAR 8,982

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-40.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,395 SAR 5,240

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-78.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 SAR 15.8K

$758 MX$13.1K

454.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

11.45

-52.23%

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

Last update for Umluj: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $588 in Umluj versus $1,063 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 455% 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 $37.00 in Umluj versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $276 – making Umluj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 8%, 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 $1,752 per month in Umluj and $1,899 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 $1,168 in Umluj and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% 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 $1,168, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.