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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Upington vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Upington vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,170 per month in Upington vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Upington is about 18% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Upington and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Upington 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 R 183

$11.72 MX$204

-6.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 R 552

$41.89 MX$731

-20.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 R 83.2

$10.51 MX$183

-52.52%

Cappuccino

$1.54 R 25.70

$3.59 MX$62.5

-57.10%

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

$1.00 R 16.63

$1.51 MX$26.31

-33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R 11.28

$0.92 MX$15.96

-26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 R 25.79

$2.96 MX$51.6

-47.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 R 41.59

$4.41 MX$76.9

-43.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 R 13.66

$1.40 MX$24.35

-41.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.90

$1.88 MX$32.87

-39.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.10

$1.56 MX$27.19

0.64%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.82

$2.61 MX$45.50

-6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 131

$8.32 MX$145

-5.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.51 R 75.2

$8.35 MX$146

-45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 R 112

$10.86 MX$189

-38.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 R 26.52

$2.71 MX$47.31

-41.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R 25.24

$1.51 MX$26.25

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.52

$1.87 MX$32.67

-21.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.09

$2.19 MX$38.19

-28.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.93

$1.86 MX$32.40

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.70

$2.23 MX$38.90

-44.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.65

$1.07 MX$18.63

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.25

$1.09 MX$18.94

-15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 R 41.76

$4.19 MX$73.0

-40.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.83 R 63.8

$10.43 MX$182

-63.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R 23.00

$1.66 MX$28.91

-16.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.74

$2.61 MX$45.56

-36.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 R 27.01

$0.54 MX$9.45

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 18.30

$3.08 MX$53.7

-64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.62

$2.40 MX$41.94

-60.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 67.7

$3.13 MX$54.5

30.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.35

$1.31 MX$22.87

-2.29%

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

$21.5K R 358.9K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-27.71%

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

$23.9K R 397.4K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

2.29%

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

$120 R 2,000

$81.3 MX$1,418

47.72%

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

$34.82 R 580

$22.56 MX$393

54.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.21 R 686

$30.05 MX$524

37.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.52 R 508

$52.9 MX$923

-42.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 R 109

$4.92 MX$85.8

32.72%

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

$196 R 3,269

$201 MX$3,502

-2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,377 R 72.9K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-15.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 R 840

$35.92 MX$627

40.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.78 R 529

$40.13 MX$700

-20.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R 1,453

$79.7 MX$1,390

9.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 R 1,342

$86.5 MX$1,508

-6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 R 6,047

$978 MX$17.1K

-62.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 R 5,557

$470 MX$8,206

-29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 R 9,394

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-65.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 R 11.7K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-41.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$878 R 14.6K

$3,953 MX$69.0K

-77.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$709 R 11.8K

$6,607 MX$115.2K

-89.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 R 12.8K

$677 MX$11.8K

13.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.38

11.42

-0.35%

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

Last update for Upington: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Upington versus $978 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 14% higher in Upington, 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 $33.00 in Upington versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $252 – making Upington 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,551 per month in Upington and $1,890 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 Upington, 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 $1,034 in Upington and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Upington 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Upington, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Upington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Upington – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Upington. 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.