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 $923 per month in Ungheni vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,666 per month in Ungheni vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,409 per month in Ungheni vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ungheni is about 29% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 MDL 123

$11.73 MX$203

-38.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.56 MDL 525

$41.62 MX$721

-26.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 MDL 98.9

$10.64 MX$184

-45.86%

Cappuccino

$1.47 MDL 25.29

$3.52 MX$61.0

-58.24%

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

$0.71 MDL 12.19

$1.51 MX$26.17

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MDL 6.77

$0.97 MX$16.87

-59.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 MDL 24.66

$2.95 MX$51.1

-51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MDL 24.54

$4.45 MX$77.2

-67.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.13

$1.38 MX$23.97

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 MDL 7.68

$1.89 MX$32.78

-76.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 MDL 17.18

$1.64 MX$28.37

-39.02%

Eggs

$2.16 MDL 37.16

$2.51 MX$43.42

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 MDL 130

$8.34 MX$145

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 MDL 68.3

$8.34 MX$145

-52.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 MDL 116

$10.73 MX$186

-37.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.56 MDL 9.53

$2.60 MX$45.12

-78.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 25.81

$1.46 MX$25.25

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.78

$1.90 MX$32.94

-8.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 MDL 23.28

$2.08 MX$35.98

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.35

$1.78 MX$30.77

-69.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 MDL 5.74

$2.19 MX$37.87

-84.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.28

$1.04 MX$18.02

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 MDL 8.18

$1.08 MX$18.66

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.1

$4.08 MX$70.7

-22.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.38 MDL 75.3

$10.32 MX$179

-57.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MDL 19.65

$1.71 MX$29.67

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 MDL 23.21

$2.58 MX$44.63

-47.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.76

$0.51 MX$8.83

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 MDL 29.44

$3.26 MX$56.5

-47.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.27

$2.49 MX$43.17

-89.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MDL 77.2

$3.25 MX$56.3

38.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MDL 21.24

$1.31 MX$22.65

-5.34%

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

$32.6K MDL 559.1K

$30.3K MX$524.7K

7.54%

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

$30.9K MDL 531.0K

$23.4K MX$406.0K

31.99%

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

$167 MDL 2,861

$82.9 MX$1,436

101.09%

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

$7.73 MDL 133

$22.22 MX$385

-65.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 MDL 183

$29.34 MX$508

-63.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.83 MDL 358

$51.6 MX$895

-59.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$4.03 MDL 69.2

$5.07 MX$87.8

-20.51%

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

$395 MDL 6,778

$201 MX$3,480

96.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,623 MDL 130.9K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

46.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.67 MDL 750

$36.92 MX$640

18.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.84 MDL 375

$39.79 MX$689

-45.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.71 MDL 682

$78.5 MX$1,360

-49.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MDL 1,885

$87.1 MX$1,509

26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 MDL 16.1K

$973 MX$16.9K

-3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 MDL 6,294

$468 MX$8,105

-21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 MDL 25.5K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-9.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MDL 21.4K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

2.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,361 MDL 40.5K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-40.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,752 MDL 30.1K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-73.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $940 in Ungheni versus $973 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: $149 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 41%, 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 $1,384 per month in Ungheni and $1,945 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 $923 in Ungheni and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $395 per month in Ungheni and $201 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 $923, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.