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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $256 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $372 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $488 in Bungoma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 406% more expensive than Bungoma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$1.58 KES 204

84.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$1.74 KES 225

165.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.99 KES 128

44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.48 KES 62.5

295.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.35 KES 175

16.30%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.29 KES 166

104.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$3.76 KES 486

192.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.03 KES 393

-10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.13 KES 146

-5.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.51 KES 196

11.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.74 KES 226

45.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.57 KES 203

56.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.74 KES 95.5

332.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.37 KES 178

-3.65%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

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

$22.41 MX$386

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$29.36 KES 3,799

2.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$19.09 KES 2,470

-3.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.89 KES 503

32.65%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$62.4 KES 8,077

223.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$11.81 KES 1,529

201.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$38.26 KES 4,950

105.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$19.64 KES 2,542

342.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$116 KES 15.0K

718.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$91.8 KES 11.9K

420.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$266 KES 34.4K

509.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$147 KES 19.1K

729.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $116 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 406% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $383 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $116 in Bungoma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 233% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.4 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $256 in Bungoma versus $1,294 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 406% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.