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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.6 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $133 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $184 in Busia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 1444% more expensive than in Busia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Busia 94% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

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

$0.32 UGX 1,188

337.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.36 UGX 5,107

38.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.63 UGX 6,118

60.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$4.08 UGX 15.3K

166.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

-5.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.84 UGX 3,163

160.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.71 UGX 6,391

30.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.29 UGX 1,091

275.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.23 UGX 4,603

240.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$5.20 UGX 19.5K

100.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.09 UGX 4,097

52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.35 UGX 5,063

93.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

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

$22.56 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

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

$201 MX$3,474

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Busia: July 26, 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 1444% 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 $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $122 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 216% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $81.6 in Busia – a 1444% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $81.6 in Busia versus $1,260 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 $81.6 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 1444% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.