Cost of Living Comparison Between Umm As-summaq and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Umm As-summaq and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $733 per month in Umm As-summaq vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,270 per month in Umm As-summaq vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,806 per month in Umm As-summaq vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Umm As-summaq is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Umm As-summaq and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Umm As-summaq 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.17 JOD 5.07

$11.60 MX$199

-38.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 JOD 47.18

$47.11 MX$809

41.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 JOD 5.05

$11.88 MX$204

-39.90%

Cappuccino

$2.74 JOD 1.94

$3.98 MX$68.2

-31.16%

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

$0.60 JOD 0.43

$1.43 MX$24.49

-58.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$0.82 MX$14.16

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 JOD 4.87

$3.19 MX$54.7

115.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.61 JOD 6.09

$6.79 MX$117

26.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.68 MX$28.76

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 JOD 0.48

$2.20 MX$37.71

-69.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.71 MX$29.32

-18.71%

Eggs

$2.24 JOD 1.58

$2.74 MX$47.05

-18.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 JOD 6.47

$9.58 MX$164

-4.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 JOD 1.95

$9.01 MX$155

-69.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.89 JOD 9.12

$12.81 MX$220

0.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 JOD 1.71

$2.89 MX$49.58

-16.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 JOD 1.42

$1.50 MX$25.70

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 JOD 1.33

$2.15 MX$36.87

-12.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 JOD 0.61

$2.26 MX$38.79

-61.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.98 MX$34.00

-53.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 JOD 0.59

$1.99 MX$34.15

-58.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.23 MX$21.18

-47.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$1.20 MX$20.54

-49.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 JOD 2.03

$4.55 MX$78.1

-36.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.79 JOD 11.88

$10.37 MX$178

61.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.15 JOD 2.93

$1.62 MX$27.79

156.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 JOD 2.95

$2.88 MX$49.44

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$5.39 MX$92.5

-88.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 JOD 1.02

$3.73 MX$64.0

-61.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 JOD 5.01

$5.77 MX$99.0

22.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 JOD 1.14

$1.54 MX$26.37

4.55%

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

$35.3K JOD 25.0K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

56.40%

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

$34.2K JOD 24.2K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

31.39%

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

$53.5 JOD 37.88

$91.4 MX$1,569

-41.43%

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

$15.44 JOD 10.92

$25.20 MX$433

-38.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.25 JOD 22.83

$31.24 MX$536

3.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 JOD 39.94

$67.2 MX$1,154

-16.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.88 JOD 35.30

$29.11 MX$500

71.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 JOD 8.13

$4.86 MX$83.5

136.42%

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

$353 JOD 250

$224 MX$3,839

57.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,679 JOD 4,019

$4,229 MX$72.6K

34.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 JOD 40.44

$47.10 MX$808

21.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 JOD 45.04

$44.29 MX$760

43.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 JOD 90.3

$80.1 MX$1,375

59.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 JOD 61.8

$92.7 MX$1,591

-5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 JOD 557

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-63.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,707 JOD 1,208

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-57.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

11.45

-40.52%

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

Last update for Umm As-summaq: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Umm As-summaq versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $229 in Umm As-summaq vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Umm As-summaq 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

Umm As-summaq vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,100 per month in Umm As-summaq and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $733 in Umm As-summaq and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $353 per month in Umm As-summaq and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm As-summaq, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Umm As-summaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm As-summaq – 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 Umm As-summaq. 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.