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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Bursa versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,623 in Bursa versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,204 in Bursa versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bursa costs roughly 17% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bursa 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.48 ₺426

$11.67 MX$202

-18.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.81 ₺1,385

$41.88 MX$726

-26.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 ₺336

$10.40 MX$180

-28.17%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₺123

$3.61 MX$62.6

-24.10%

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

$1.13 ₺50.7

$1.47 MX$25.45

-23.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₺19.22

$0.91 MX$15.80

-52.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₺95.8

$3.03 MX$52.6

-29.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₺100

$4.47 MX$77.4

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 ₺41.95

$1.38 MX$23.83

-32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 ₺35.02

$1.84 MX$31.93

-57.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ₺87.9

$1.61 MX$27.82

21.12%

Eggs

$1.96 ₺88.0

$2.57 MX$44.52

-23.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 ₺425

$8.49 MX$147

11.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 ₺261

$8.49 MX$147

-31.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.94 ₺851

$10.99 MX$190

72.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ₺66.7

$2.73 MX$47.25

-45.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺103

$1.50 MX$25.92

52.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₺57.8

$1.96 MX$33.93

-34.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ₺70.3

$2.12 MX$36.70

-26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ₺33.37

$1.86 MX$32.30

-60.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₺20.60

$2.17 MX$37.67

-78.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ₺39.82

$1.07 MX$18.59

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₺12.40

$1.05 MX$18.18

-73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 ₺99.7

$4.19 MX$72.6

-47.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 ₺496

$10.28 MX$178

7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₺91.6

$1.67 MX$28.87

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₺89.7

$2.49 MX$43.12

-19.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 ₺75.9

$0.54 MX$9.37

212.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.58 ₺2,184

$26.27 MX$455

84.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₺39.15

$3.10 MX$53.8

-71.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₺27.66

$2.46 MX$42.66

-74.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 ₺401

$3.24 MX$56.1

175.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺54.5

$1.26 MX$21.83

-3.97%

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

$41.4K ₺1.9M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

37.12%

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

$43.8K ₺2.0M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

86.86%

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

$56.0 ₺2,516

$84.0 MX$1,456

-33.35%

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

$9.80 ₺441

$22.21 MX$385

-55.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.65 ₺524

$29.65 MX$514

-60.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 ₺2,543

$52.6 MX$912

7.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.76 ₺1,697

$18.34 MX$318

105.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ₺353

$4.95 MX$85.7

58.59%

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

$375 ₺16.8K

$198 MX$3,438

88.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K ₺812.3K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

239.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 ₺2,566

$35.95 MX$623

58.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 ₺1,961

$40.06 MX$694

8.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 ₺4,489

$78.8 MX$1,365

26.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 ₺3,676

$86.5 MX$1,499

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₺19.6K

$977 MX$16.9K

-55.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ₺15.5K

$471 MX$8,158

-26.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ₺36.0K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-49.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ₺23.1K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-57.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,341 ₺60.3K

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-66.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 ₺55.0K

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-81.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,054 ₺47.4K

$714 MX$12.4K

47.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.62

11.42

273.20%

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

Last update for Bursa: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Bursa and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bursa pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31 in Bursa vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $252 per month, with Bursa cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bursa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Bursa pays 48% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Bursa versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bursa – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,041 in Bursa versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bursa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bursa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bursa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bursa and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bursa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.