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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $338 in Budaun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $534 in Budaun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $730 in Budaun.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 273% more expensive than in Budaun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Budaun 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.15 ₹205

445.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$11.58 ₹1,105

261.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$2.94 ₹281

257.48%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.59 ₹56.3

508.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.27 ₹25.64

459.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.11 ₹10.95

736.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.47 ₹140

101.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.70 ₹162

159.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.67 ₹64.0

108.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.36 ₹34.45

422.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.55 ₹52.8

183.64%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$0.73 ₹69.5

257.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.26 ₹406

95.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.34 ₹223

256.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.13 ₹108

139.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.45 ₹43.11

235.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.60 ₹57.3

211.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.46 ₹43.51

376.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.26 ₹24.89

615.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.34 ₹31.99

555.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.14 ₹12.93

664.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.34 ₹32.89

220.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.53 ₹241

65.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$2.68 ₹255

289.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.41 ₹135

17.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.27 ₹216

14.98%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.51 ₹335

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.30 ₹28.65

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$8.64 ₹824

202.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.59 ₹56.4

422.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.12 ₹11.45

1900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.14 ₹109

174.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.14 ₹109

14.91%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$5,730 ₹546.5K

420.18%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$16.9K ₹1.6M

38.31%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$50.1 ₹4,773

62.40%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.23 ₹308

598.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.49 ₹524

447.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$15.89 ₹1,515

232.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$7.09 ₹677

159.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.90 ₹276

69.66%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$36.88 ₹3,518

444.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,584 ₹151.1K

226.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$23.56 ₹2,247

52.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.59 ₹2,918

31.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$38.98 ₹3,718

104.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$18.55 ₹1,769

366.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$122 ₹11.7K

699.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$75.0 ₹7,154

527.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$277 ₹26.4K

497.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$179 ₹17.1K

572.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$893 ₹85.1K

342.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$585 ₹55.8K

1029.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.49

34.51%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Budaun: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $122 in Budaun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Budaun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $76.0 per month, with Budaun 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

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

Budaun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 273% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $507 in Budaun to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $122 in Budaun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Budaun runs roughly 203% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.88 in Budaun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $338 in Budaun versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Budaun but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Budaun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Budaun 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.

Expats usually find Budaun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 273% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.