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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $342 in Budaun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $535 in Budaun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $728 in Budaun.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 277% more expensive than Budaun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Budaun 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.05 ₹195

482.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$11.62 ₹1,103

267.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$2.94 ₹280

260.20%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.56 ₹53.3

546.43%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.27 ₹25.29

444.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.14 ₹12.95

571.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.52 ₹145

103.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.72 ₹164

159.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.73 ₹69.4

95.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.37 ₹34.71

408.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.59 ₹56.1

176.27%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$0.67 ₹63.5

294.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.19 ₹398

95.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.28 ₹217

263.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.15 ₹109

130.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.49 ₹46.31

206.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.60 ₹56.6

231.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.45 ₹42.63

362.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.26 ₹24.73

588.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.34 ₹32.16

541.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.13 ₹12.63

730.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.32 ₹30.16

225.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.53 ₹241

56.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$2.70 ₹257

277.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.39 ₹132

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.38 ₹226

5.04%

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

$3.56 ₹338

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.30 ₹28.74

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$8.53 ₹810

216.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.60 ₹56.8

423.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.10 ₹9.89

2300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$1.14 ₹108

171.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.17 ₹111

8.55%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$5,820 ₹552.5K

430.65%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$16.9K ₹1.6M

37.95%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$50.2 ₹4,763

63.46%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$3.27 ₹311

586.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$5.42 ₹515

447.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$16.21 ₹1,539

219.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$7.22 ₹685

158.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.94 ₹279

69.05%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$35.62 ₹3,382

455.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,552 ₹147.3K

239.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$23.69 ₹2,249

53.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.95 ₹2,939

29.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$39.12 ₹3,714

104.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$18.31 ₹1,738

385.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$125 ₹11.9K

670.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$77.1 ₹7,323

502.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$272 ₹25.8K

486.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$182 ₹17.2K

566.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$917 ₹87.0K

329.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$481 ₹45.7K

1240.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Budaun: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $125 in Budaun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Budaun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 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 277% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $513 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 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 216% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $35.62 in Budaun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $342 in Budaun versus $1,287 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 277% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.