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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $253 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $373 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $493 in Bungoma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 398% more expensive than in Bungoma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.58 KES 204

87.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.75 KES 226

152.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.04 KES 134

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.51 KES 66.3

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.29 KES 166

20.93%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.31 KES 169

99.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$3.80 KES 491

185.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.00 KES 388

-9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$1.13 KES 146

-3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.59 KES 205

4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.66 KES 215

57.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.53 KES 197

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$0.79 KES 103

296.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.36 KES 176

-3.68%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$28.98 KES 3,746

3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$19.59 KES 2,532

-6.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.89 KES 502

26.48%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$61.3 KES 7,925

227.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$11.53 KES 1,490

211.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$38.77 KES 5,010

105.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$19.44 KES 2,512

344.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$117 KES 15.1K

739.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$94.5 KES 12.2K

397.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$275 KES 35.6K

500.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$148 KES 19.1K

715.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Bungoma: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $117 in Bungoma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Bungoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bungoma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 398% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $380 in Bungoma 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 $117 in Bungoma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 226% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $61.3 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $253 in Bungoma versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bungoma but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bungoma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bungoma 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bungoma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bungoma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 398% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.