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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,577 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,333 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,089 in Budaors, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 20% cheaper than Budaors, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Budaors is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$12.54 Ft 3,988

-7.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$58.0 Ft 18.4K

-18.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$11.25 Ft 3,579

5.60%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.52 Ft 803

57.94%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.59 Ft 507

-10.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.00 Ft 637

-59.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.51 Ft 798

27.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$2.92 Ft 928

132.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.25 Ft 397

34.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.63 Ft 518

34.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.50 Ft 794

-31.60%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.60 Ft 1,144

-23.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$12.18 Ft 3,874

-21.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.86 Ft 2,181

31.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$15.01 Ft 4,774

-14.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.18 Ft 695

32.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.22 Ft 705

-32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.47 Ft 786

-12.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.16 Ft 1,325

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.18 Ft 375

67.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.43 Ft 456

39.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.65 Ft 525

-25.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.61 Ft 193

96.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$8.36 Ft 2,660

-45.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.58 Ft 1,775

85.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.28 Ft 407

26.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.18 Ft 694

32.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$1.46 Ft 464

-58.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$15.22 Ft 4,841

89.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.40 Ft 1,081

58.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.36 Ft 432

174.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$19.70 Ft 6,266

-70.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.85 Ft 590

-16.76%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$32.1K Ft 10.2M

-29.77%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$38.3K Ft 12.2M

-31.99%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$173 Ft 55.0K

-47.14%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$25.12 Ft 7,990

0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$21.75 Ft 6,920

43.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$77.8 Ft 24.7K

-13.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$17.35 Ft 5,519

67.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$9.84 Ft 3,132

-50.61%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$570 Ft 181.5K

-60.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$8,225 Ft 2.6M

-48.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$102 Ft 32.4K

-53.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$47.18 Ft 15.0K

-6.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$107 Ft 34.1K

-25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$117 Ft 37.1K

-20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$581 Ft 184.7K

83.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$559 Ft 177.9K

-30.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$858 Ft 272.8K

150.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$848 Ft 269.6K

50.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$4,233 Ft 1.3M

-5.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$3,837 Ft 1.2M

69.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,747 Ft 555.6K

-56.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.56

74.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Budaors: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $581 in Budaors. 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 130% higher in Budaors, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $58.0 in Budaors. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $266 in Budaors – so Budaors wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,577 in Budaors – roughly 25% apart. Budaors costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,365 in Budaors. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Budaors – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $58.0 in Budaors. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Budaors at $1,577. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budaors it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,577 in Budaors. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budaors makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.