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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $499 in Bushehr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $772 in Bushehr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,046 in Bushehr.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 155% more expensive than Bushehr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bushehr 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.85 $5.85

102.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$14.02 $14.02

205.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.45 $3.45

208.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.01 $1.01

241.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.43 $0.43

248.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.20 $1.20

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.48 $0.48

187.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.31 $0.31

496.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.60 $1.60

0.63%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.01 $1.01

156.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$1.48 $1.48

458.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.97 $2.97

181.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.66 $9.66

10.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.58 $0.58

353.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.54 $1.54

-3.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.93 $0.93

106.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.48 $0.48

335.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.48 $0.48

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.29 $0.29

679.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.68 $0.68

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.24 $0.24

354.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.59 $0.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 $0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.24 $2.24

85.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.19 $0.19

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$10.07 $10.07

167.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.29 $0.29

979.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.27 $0.27

829.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.74 $1.74

81.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.69 $0.69

84.06%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$61.2K $61.2K

-50.33%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$47.2K $47.2K

-50.10%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$19.98 $19.98

315.42%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$2.04 $2.04

1013.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$5.71 $5.71

415.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$15.79 $15.79

222.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$12.35 $12.35

48.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.05 $2.05

140.49%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$50.9 $50.9

287.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$608 $608

768.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$23.52 $23.52

56.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$21.08 $21.08

89.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$73.6 $73.6

8.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$41.48 $41.48

115.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$286 $286

234.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$201 $201

137.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$320 $320

413.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$318 $318

284.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,158 $1,158

238.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$615 $615

950.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$285 $285

134.01%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bushehr: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $286 in Bushehr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 134% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Bushehr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $93.0 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 155% 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.

Playa del Carmen pays 134% more on average, 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: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $286 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 168% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.9 in Bushehr. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $499 in Bushehr versus $1,271 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 $499 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 155% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.