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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,463 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,209 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,955 in Budapest, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 14% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Budapest is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$11.48 Ft 3,637

4.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

-25.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.73 Ft 2,767

23.14%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.85 Ft 903

22.81%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.74 Ft 550

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.31 Ft 415

-32.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.80 Ft 886

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.93 Ft 929

53.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.27 Ft 401

12.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.75 Ft 554

5.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.11 Ft 670

-25.59%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.16 Ft 1,002

-20.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.91 Ft 3,139

-16.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.32 Ft 2,002

33.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$13.58 Ft 4,303

-21.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.91 Ft 604

36.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.00 Ft 633

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.15 Ft 682

-8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.59 Ft 1,137

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.12 Ft 356

65.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.21 Ft 382

79.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.54 Ft 488

-33.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.55 Ft 173

94.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.79 Ft 2,152

-39.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$5.78 Ft 1,831

75.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.20 Ft 380

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.65 Ft 523

53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.27 Ft 403

-59.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$25.94 Ft 8,220

0.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.26 Ft 1,032

-0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.12 Ft 355

115.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$19.21 Ft 6,087

-83.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.76 Ft 559

-25.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.3K Ft 8.3M

13.00%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

-22.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$144 Ft 45.5K

-42.88%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$26.33 Ft 8,343

-12.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$20.06 Ft 6,357

50.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

-17.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$21.87 Ft 6,929

-15.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.90 Ft 2,820

-44.04%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$450 Ft 142.7K

-56.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$12.1K Ft 3.8M

-56.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$84.6 Ft 26.8K

-57.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$98.2 Ft 31.1K

-19.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$104 Ft 32.8K

-14.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$715 Ft 226.6K

32.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$560 Ft 177.5K

-15.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,339 Ft 424.2K

22.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$971 Ft 307.6K

24.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

-33.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

50.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,751 Ft 554.8K

-62.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.03

62.45%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $715 in Budapest. 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 168% higher in Budapest, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $56.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $241 in Budapest – so Budapest 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 Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,194 in Budapest. 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.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $450 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Budapest at $1,463. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.