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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $928 per month in Ungheni vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,683 per month in Ungheni vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,439 per month in Ungheni vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ungheni is about 26% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ungheni and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.39 MDL 129

$11.99 MX$210

-38.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.66 MDL 534

$41.78 MX$733

-26.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 MDL 104

$10.75 MX$189

-44.28%

Cappuccino

$1.50 MDL 26.12

$3.50 MX$61.3

-57.14%

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

$0.70 MDL 12.20

$1.45 MX$25.41

-51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MDL 7.41

$0.88 MX$15.52

-51.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 MDL 24.70

$2.95 MX$51.7

-51.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MDL 26.00

$4.51 MX$79.1

-66.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MDL 21.72

$1.43 MX$25.12

-12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 MDL 7.88

$1.84 MX$32.23

-75.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MDL 17.39

$1.57 MX$27.51

-36.31%

Eggs

$2.28 MDL 39.63

$2.51 MX$44.06

-9.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MDL 134

$8.28 MX$145

-7.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 MDL 70.2

$8.43 MX$148

-52.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 MDL 119

$10.68 MX$187

-35.96%

Apples (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.51

$2.61 MX$45.76

-78.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MDL 25.90

$1.44 MX$25.22

3.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 MDL 29.27

$1.96 MX$34.41

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MDL 22.31

$2.09 MX$36.74

-38.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.54

$1.85 MX$32.47

-70.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 MDL 5.87

$2.17 MX$38.02

-84.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.57

$1.03 MX$18.09

31.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MDL 9.03

$1.07 MX$18.84

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MDL 53.1

$4.10 MX$72.0

-25.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 MDL 75.6

$10.17 MX$178

-57.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MDL 20.69

$1.68 MX$29.38

-29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MDL 22.39

$2.53 MX$44.31

-49.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MDL 6.39

$0.51 MX$8.93

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 MDL 30.14

$3.23 MX$56.7

-46.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.74

$2.41 MX$42.19

-88.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.45 MDL 77.5

$3.23 MX$56.6

37.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.20

$1.32 MX$23.17

-3.03%

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

$32.2K MDL 560.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

8.33%

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

$31.0K MDL 539.2K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

30.87%

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

$162 MDL 2,826

$82.0 MX$1,439

97.94%

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

$7.51 MDL 131

$22.95 MX$403

-67.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.77 MDL 187

$30.11 MX$528

-64.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.57 MDL 358

$52.0 MX$912

-60.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 MDL 72.3

$4.98 MX$87.3

-16.67%

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

$397 MDL 6,920

$197 MX$3,463

101.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,518 MDL 130.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

40.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.37 MDL 772

$35.60 MX$624

24.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 MDL 376

$40.33 MX$707

-46.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.25 MDL 701

$78.8 MX$1,381

-48.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MDL 1,912

$88.9 MX$1,560

23.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MDL 16.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MDL 6,350

$474 MX$8,314

-23.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 MDL 26.3K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-8.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 MDL 22.3K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

5.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,307 MDL 40.2K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-43.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 MDL 29.5K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-73.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-29.95%

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

Last update for Ungheni: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Ungheni versus $947 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Ungheni versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $150 vs $249 – making Ungheni 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,392 per month in Ungheni and $1,884 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 Ungheni, 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 $928 in Ungheni and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Ungheni 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $928, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Ungheni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ungheni – 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 Ungheni. 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.