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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $81.2 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $134 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $187 in Busia.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 1484% more expensive than Busia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Busia 94% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.34 UGX 1,275

320.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.35 UGX 5,012

39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.65 UGX 6,116

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$4.23 UGX 15.7K

162.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.77 UGX 10.3K

-4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.82 UGX 3,033

153.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.70 UGX 6,313

28.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.27 UGX 989

285.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.23 UGX 4,572

222.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.47 UGX 20.3K

86.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.14 UGX 4,234

51.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.41 UGX 5,236

77.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

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

$22.45 MX$393

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

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

$198 MX$3,462

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Busia: April 27, 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 1484% 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 $1,930 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 212% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $81.2 in Busia – a 1484% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $81.2 in Busia versus $1,287 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 $81.2 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 1484% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.