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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$806

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$215

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$68.9

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

$1.38 MX$24.86

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$89.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.30

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.59

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.23

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.52

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$136

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$236

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.66

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.68

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.58

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.36

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.34

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.87

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$80.7

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.49

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$511

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$87.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.2

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 KES 171

$1.46 MX$26.31

-9.59%

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

$21.4K MX$386.7K

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

$24.0K MX$433.6K

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

$86.3 MX$1,560

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

$23.96 MX$433

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$523

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,168

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$525

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$92.7

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

$211 MX$3,820

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$799

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$784

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,390

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,843

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$31.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$115.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$13.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Busia: September 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

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

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

For families, Busia 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.

It comes down to priorities – Busia wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.