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 $723 per month in Umm As-summaq vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,386 per month in Umm As-summaq vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,049 per month in Umm As-summaq vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Umm As-summaq is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Umm As-summaq and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Umm As-summaq 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.30 JOD 4.46

$11.87 MX$204

-46.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.89 JOD 35.31

$42.90 MX$736

16.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 JOD 3.59

$10.65 MX$183

-52.39%

Cappuccino

$4.22 JOD 2.99

$3.45 MX$59.2

22.32%

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

$0.48 JOD 0.34

$1.50 MX$25.81

-68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$0.95 MX$16.28

-64.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 JOD 3.95

$3.03 MX$51.9

84.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 JOD 5.06

$4.61 MX$79.1

55.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 JOD 0.88

$1.38 MX$23.61

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 JOD 0.26

$1.85 MX$31.70

-80.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.61 MX$27.65

-10.56%

Eggs

$2.55 JOD 1.81

$2.59 MX$44.51

-1.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.88 JOD 2.04

$8.26 MX$142

-65.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 JOD 4.70

$8.37 MX$144

-20.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 JOD 8.11

$10.66 MX$183

7.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 JOD 0.99

$2.63 MX$45.12

-47.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$1.49 MX$25.53

-50.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$1.92 MX$32.94

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.29 JOD 0.21

$2.09 MX$35.81

-86.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 JOD 0.24

$1.86 MX$31.88

-81.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 JOD 0.21

$2.26 MX$38.81

-87.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$1.06 MX$18.23

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 JOD 0.44

$1.09 MX$18.67

-42.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 JOD 2.53

$4.15 MX$71.2

-13.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 JOD 11.90

$10.39 MX$178

61.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.63 JOD 3.28

$1.72 MX$29.59

169.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 JOD 3.76

$2.61 MX$44.85

103.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 JOD 0.52

$0.54 MX$9.30

37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 JOD 0.49

$3.13 MX$53.7

-77.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 JOD 0.21

$2.51 MX$43.09

-88.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 JOD 4.90

$3.15 MX$54.1

120.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 JOD 0.98

$1.27 MX$21.88

9.45%

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

$26.6K JOD 18.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.27%

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

$32.2K JOD 22.8K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

36.71%

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

$107 JOD 75.4

$83.0 MX$1,425

28.35%

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

$17.31 JOD 12.25

$22.71 MX$390

-23.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.01 JOD 22.66

$29.46 MX$506

8.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.41 JOD 28.60

$51.0 MX$875

-20.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.87 JOD 25.39

$18.33 MX$315

95.69%

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 JOD 8.11

$4.93 MX$84.5

132.25%

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

$274 JOD 194

$197 MX$3,386

38.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,354 JOD 3,789

$5,280 MX$90.6K

1.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 JOD 42.87

$36.90 MX$633

64.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 JOD 40.10

$39.89 MX$685

42.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 JOD 80.7

$80.0 MX$1,373

42.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 JOD 57.7

$89.5 MX$1,536

-8.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 JOD 275

$956 MX$16.4K

-59.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 JOD 334

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-71.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 JOD 256

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-70.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,699 JOD 1,202

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-56.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$845 JOD 598

$667 MX$11.4K

26.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Umm As-summaq: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Umm As-summaq versus $956 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 27% higher in Umm As-summaq, 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 $50.0 in Umm As-summaq versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Umm As-summaq vs $250 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 76%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,084 per month in Umm As-summaq and $1,906 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 Umm As-summaq, 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 $723 in Umm As-summaq and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $274 per month in Umm As-summaq and $197 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 $723, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.