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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 11% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.49 Ft 3,498

2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

-26.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.66 Ft 2,636

22.86%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.77 Ft 842

27.08%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.80 Ft 548

-16.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$1.33 Ft 406

-27.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.81 Ft 857

4.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.79 Ft 851

59.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.21 Ft 367

14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.74 Ft 528

8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.08 Ft 635

-21.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$3.10 Ft 945

-19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.95 Ft 3,029

-16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.33 Ft 1,926

31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$13.33 Ft 4,060

-19.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.85 Ft 564

40.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.91 Ft 581

-23.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$2.17 Ft 661

-12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$3.67 Ft 1,117

-43.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.13 Ft 344

57.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.22 Ft 370

79.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.55 Ft 471

-32.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.53 Ft 162

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$6.79 Ft 2,068

-39.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$5.87 Ft 1,787

75.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.22 Ft 370

40.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$1.73 Ft 526

49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.28 Ft 391

-60.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$26.14 Ft 7,959

1.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.26 Ft 993

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.13 Ft 344

120.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$19.23 Ft 5,855

-83.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.75 Ft 532

-25.14%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

16.98%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

-23.82%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$145 Ft 44.2K

-42.92%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$26.21 Ft 7,981

-15.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$20.23 Ft 6,160

45.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

-16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$22.11 Ft 6,733

-17.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$9.15 Ft 2,787

-44.59%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$454 Ft 138.1K

-55.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

-56.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

-56.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

-4.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

-18.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$107 Ft 32.5K

-18.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$719 Ft 218.8K

35.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$553 Ft 168.3K

-15.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

21.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$984 Ft 299.5K

24.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

-34.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

45.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

-63.80%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $719 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 176% 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 $57.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $239 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 12%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,175 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 1% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $454 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 $1,297, than in Budapest at $1,450. 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.