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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $77.3 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $177 in Busia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 1538% more expensive than in Busia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Busia 94% 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

$0.33 UGX 1,295

409.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.30 UGX 5,074

69.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.55 UGX 6,052

76.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$3.92 UGX 15.3K

226.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.69 UGX 10.5K

7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.82 UGX 3,191

175.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.61 UGX 6,299

23.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.25 UGX 970

380.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.20 UGX 4,705

279.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$5.39 UGX 21.1K

92.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.04 UGX 4,080

55.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.30 UGX 5,096

121.54%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

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 Busia: 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 Busia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 1538% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $116 in Busia 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 260% 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 $77.3 in Busia – a 1538% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $77.3 in Busia versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busia but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Busia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Busia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $77.3 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Busia hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Busia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1538% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.