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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $260 in Bungoma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $375 in Bungoma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $490 in Bungoma.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 395% more expensive than Bungoma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Bungoma 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.57 KES 203

96.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.68 KES 216

165.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.04 KES 134

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.48 KES 62.6

291.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.33 KES 172

22.56%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.30 KES 167

103.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$3.66 KES 473

203.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.12 KES 402

-15.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.15 KES 148

-9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.58 KES 204

9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.69 KES 218

47.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.57 KES 203

52.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.75 KES 96.9

312.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.42 KES 184

-10.56%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$29.68 KES 3,831

-0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$19.26 KES 2,486

-3.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.82 KES 493

30.10%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$61.7 KES 7,957

220.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$11.84 KES 1,528

206.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$38.59 KES 4,980

107.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$19.00 KES 2,452

367.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$116 KES 15.0K

727.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$92.7 KES 12.0K

401.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$270 KES 34.8K

492.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$147 KES 19.0K

722.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bungoma: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 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 395% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $390 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: $963 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 224% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $61.7 in Bungoma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $260 in Bungoma versus $1,287 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 395% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.