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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $389 in Bunia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $632 in Bunia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $874 in Bunia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 233% more expensive than Bunia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bunia 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.03 CDF 2,337

33.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.95 CDF 4,429

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.05 CDF 4,652

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.71 CDF 8,412

-32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.98 CDF 6,757

179.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.98 CDF 11.3K

67.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.11 CDF 11.6K

109.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$4.93 CDF 11.2K

-47.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.53 CDF 3,480

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.56 CDF 5,821

-25.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.05 CDF 4,648

1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$2.96 CDF 6,730

-39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$2.92 CDF 6,620

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$3.88 CDF 8,810

-73.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.87 CDF 1,980

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.13 CDF 13.9K

-33.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.98 CDF 6,769

-42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

-48.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$6.61 CDF 15.0K

-50.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$5.09 CDF 11.6K

-51.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

-78.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.97 CDF 4,472

-33.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

$15.23 CDF 34.6K

45.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$9.94 CDF 22.6K

419.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.28 CDF 34.7K

19.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$12.84 CDF 29.1K

-60.51%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,540 CDF 8.0M

47.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$30.40 CDF 69.0K

21.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$44.50 CDF 101.0K

-10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$55.5 CDF 126.0K

41.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$66.2 CDF 150.2K

31.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Bunia: June 1, 2026

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 Bunia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Bunia differ by about 233% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $389 including rent). Bunia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $583 in Bunia 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $389 in Bunia – a 233% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $389 in Bunia versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bunia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bunia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bunia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 233% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.