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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $398 in Bunia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $647 in Bunia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $896 in Bunia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 218% more expensive than in Bunia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Bunia 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.98 CDF 2,226

71.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.95 CDF 4,418

12.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.96 CDF 4,449

-12.76%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.51 CDF 7,976

-21.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.98 CDF 6,766

221.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.09 CDF 11.6K

77.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

154.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$5.12 CDF 11.6K

-43.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.49 CDF 3,372

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.56 CDF 5,818

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.06 CDF 4,669

9.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.05 CDF 6,915

-35.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$3.02 CDF 6,862

-34.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$4.06 CDF 9,214

-69.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.84 CDF 1,898

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$5.90 CDF 13.4K

-22.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.98 CDF 6,761

-45.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.93 CDF 11.2K

-41.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$14.88 CDF 33.8K

-63.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$4.96 CDF 11.3K

-24.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$14.77 CDF 33.5K

-60.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.98 CDF 4,485

-22.22%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

$15.06 CDF 34.2K

67.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$10.05 CDF 22.8K

568.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$15.25 CDF 34.6K

90.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$13.03 CDF 29.6K

-62.70%

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,486 CDF 7.9M

21.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$30.43 CDF 69.1K

54.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$45.72 CDF 103.8K

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$55.6 CDF 126.3K

43.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$65.2 CDF 148.1K

42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bunia: September 13, 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 218% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $398 including rent). Bunia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $597 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 24% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $398 in Bunia – a 218% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $398 in Bunia versus $1,266 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 218% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.