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 $688 per month in Ungheni vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,075 per month in Ungheni vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,462 per month in Ungheni vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ungheni is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ungheni and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ungheni 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 MDL 134

$11.96 MX$203

-34.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.12 MDL 397

$47.38 MX$804

-51.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 MDL 121

$11.75 MX$199

-40.17%

Cappuccino

$1.49 MDL 25.56

$4.12 MX$70.0

-63.83%

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

$0.74 MDL 12.75

$1.40 MX$23.74

-47.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MDL 7.74

$0.91 MX$15.48

-50.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 MDL 17.59

$3.21 MX$54.4

-68.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 MDL 24.36

$7.07 MX$120

-79.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MDL 29.20

$1.68 MX$28.44

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.34 MDL 5.79

$2.15 MX$36.48

-84.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 MDL 14.93

$1.77 MX$30.10

-50.85%

Eggs

$2.05 MDL 35.21

$2.82 MX$47.76

-27.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 MDL 177

$9.20 MX$156

12.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 MDL 70.7

$9.23 MX$157

-55.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.01 MDL 155

$12.64 MX$214

-28.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.48 MDL 8.32

$2.95 MX$50.1

-83.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MDL 22.31

$1.58 MX$26.79

-17.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 MDL 18.76

$2.22 MX$37.70

-50.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MDL 20.56

$2.36 MX$40.09

-49.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 MDL 8.25

$1.99 MX$33.81

-75.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 MDL 6.28

$1.98 MX$33.58

-81.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 MDL 40.90

$1.24 MX$21.04

91.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MDL 13.58

$1.21 MX$20.55

-34.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 MDL 60.9

$4.60 MX$78.1

-22.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.34 MDL 74.4

$10.52 MX$178

-58.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 MDL 25.40

$1.69 MX$28.70

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MDL 30.66

$2.77 MX$47.06

-35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.82

$0.60 MX$10.22

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 MDL 30.89

$5.24 MX$88.8

-65.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MDL 6.77

$3.65 MX$61.9

-89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 MDL 63.4

$5.78 MX$98.1

-36.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MDL 25.25

$1.54 MX$26.09

-4.55%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$21.5K MDL 369.4K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-16.60%

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

$141 MDL 2,424

$90.7 MX$1,538

55.82%

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

$11.58 MDL 199

$25.19 MX$427

-54.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.53 MDL 284

$31.75 MX$539

-47.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 MDL 253

$68.8 MX$1,167

-78.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.03 MDL 69.1

$4.86 MX$82.5

-17.08%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 MDL 843

$47.38 MX$804

3.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.49 MDL 300

$43.45 MX$737

-59.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.46 MDL 609

$80.2 MX$1,361

-55.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.8 MDL 1,181

$91.4 MX$1,550

-24.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 MDL 4,452

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-76.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 MDL 2,029

$409 MX$6,933

-71.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 MDL 5,982

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-82.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 MDL 5,064

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-76.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,379 MDL 40.8K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-41.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,738 MDL 29.8K

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-74.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-30.13%

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

Last update for Ungheni: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $259 in Ungheni versus $1,086 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 $23.00 in Ungheni versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $278 – 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 90%, 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 $1,033 per month in Ungheni and $1,958 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.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ungheni and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.