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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $509 in Bushehr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $785 in Bushehr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,061 in Bushehr.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 148% more expensive than in Bushehr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bushehr 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$6.09 $6.09

92.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.88 $13.88

201.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$3.46 $3.46

203.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.98 $0.98

266.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.43 $0.43

251.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.20 $1.20

-23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.49 $0.49

185.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.31 $0.31

506.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.58 $1.58

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.01 $1.01

158.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$1.48 $1.48

462.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.97 $2.97

181.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.93 $9.93

9.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.58 $0.58

367.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.54 $1.54

-1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.97 $0.97

92.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.49 $0.49

346.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.52 $0.52

257.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.29 $0.29

668.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.71 $0.71

50.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.26 $0.26

319.23%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.31 $2.31

81.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.20 $0.20

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$9.87 $9.87

165.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.31 $0.31

893.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.27 $0.27

788.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.75 $1.75

78.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.74 $0.74

77.03%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$60.5K $60.5K

-50.70%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$47.7K $47.7K

-51.09%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$19.71 $19.71

312.38%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$1.95 $1.95

1056.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$5.88 $5.88

411.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$15.73 $15.73

236.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$12.33 $12.33

49.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.03 $2.03

142.36%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$49.12 $49.12

308.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$597 $597

766.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$23.59 $23.59

52.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$20.26 $20.26

98.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$71.8 $71.8

10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$40.73 $40.73

112.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$290 $290

237.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$203 $203

132.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$327 $327

405.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$323 $323

272.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,123 $1,123

252.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$569 $569

1061.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$284 $284

138.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

20.95

-45.49%

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 Bushehr: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $290 in Bushehr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 139% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Bushehr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $94.0 per month, with Bushehr cheaper across the board.

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 Bushehr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bushehr wins on cost – living expenses run 148% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bushehr the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 139% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $290 in Bushehr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bushehr runs roughly 165% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.12 in Bushehr. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $509 in Bushehr versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bushehr but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bushehr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bushehr delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $509 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bushehr hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bushehr 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 Bushehr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.