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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,047 in Bugojno, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,596 in Bugojno, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,144 in Bugojno, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Bugojno, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bugojno are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bugojno 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$7.27 BAM 12.43

64.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$35.14 BAM 60.1

18.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$8.95 BAM 15.31

20.11%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.06 BAM 3.52

69.90%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$2.07 BAM 3.54

-29.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$1.34 BAM 2.29

-34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.63 BAM 4.50

12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.35 BAM 4.02

91.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.42 BAM 2.43

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.27 BAM 2.17

44.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.15 BAM 3.68

-26.98%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$3.20 BAM 5.48

-21.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$10.37 BAM 17.74

-20.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$8.58 BAM 14.67

-1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$13.20 BAM 22.57

-19.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.49 BAM 2.56

75.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.78 BAM 3.05

-19.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.98 BAM 3.39

-1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$2.32 BAM 3.97

-9.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.13 BAM 1.93

63.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.20 BAM 2.06

80.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.23 BAM 2.10

-16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.80 BAM 1.37

33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.76 BAM 6.42

9.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$4.16 BAM 7.12

144.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.09 BAM 1.87

54.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.27 BAM 2.17

99.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$1.77 BAM 3.02

-71.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$35.06 BAM 60.0

-25.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.92 BAM 1.58

251.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.67 BAM 1.14

259.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.99 BAM 15.37

-64.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.51 BAM 2.59

-12.58%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.0K BAM 44.5K

14.10%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$26.2K BAM 44.8K

-9.62%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$195 BAM 334

-58.02%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$18.86 BAM 32.26

21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$33.25 BAM 56.9

-9.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$29.34 BAM 50.2

77.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$11.01 BAM 18.83

68.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.06 BAM 12.07

-29.46%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$255 BAM 437

-22.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,429 BAM 5,865

55.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$90.3 BAM 154

-60.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$36.65 BAM 62.7

10.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$111 BAM 190

-29.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$103 BAM 176

-13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$260 BAM 445

264.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$168 BAM 287

182.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$362 BAM 619

353.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$313 BAM 535

287.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,502 BAM 4,279

62.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,796 BAM 3,072

260.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$606 BAM 1,036

7.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.8

200.53%

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 Bugojno: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $260 in Bugojno. 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 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $35.00 in Bugojno. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $236 – making Bugojno the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bugojno: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% more than Bugojno, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,571 in Bugojno. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,047 in Bugojno. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% less in Bugojno. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bugojno, where all-in costs run around $1,047, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Bugojno it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bugojno costs $1,047 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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