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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,035 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,584 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,134 in Buzias, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% more than Buzias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Buzias are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Buzias 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$8.93 RON 40.43

33.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$44.40 RON 201

6.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.87 RON 35.65

49.30%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.25 RON 14.73

26.77%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.20 RON 9.96

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.83 RON 8.28

-50.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.39 RON 15.37

-5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.98 RON 18.05

77.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.49 RON 6.75

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.20 RON 5.45

79.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.47 RON 6.68

20.41%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.59 RON 16.25

-21.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.27 RON 37.46

11.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.11 RON 27.65

51.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.30 RON 37.61

52.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.26 RON 5.72

134.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.58 RON 7.17

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.58 RON 7.16

40.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.68 RON 12.14

-11.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.75 RON 3.38

165.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.64 RON 2.89

209.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.08 RON 4.88

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.91 RON 4.13

32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$6.29 RON 28.49

-26.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.88 RON 35.70

33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.99 RON 4.46

70.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.42 RON 6.43

95.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.79 RON 3.58

-24.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$19.80 RON 89.7

50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.97 RON 4.40

440.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.87 RON 3.95

319.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$9.05 RON 40.98

-36.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.86 RON 8.43

-17.20%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$29.1K RON 131.8K

-21.62%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.4K RON 119.5K

-2.16%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$120 RON 544

-24.48%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.38 RON 42.50

168.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$12.78 RON 57.9

148.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$35.79 RON 162

92.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$22.27 RON 101

31.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.05 RON 31.95

-31.06%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$471 RON 2,133

-52.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,039 RON 31.9K

-40.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$79.6 RON 361

-40.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$33.50 RON 152

29.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$90.5 RON 410

-11.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$95.0 RON 430

-3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$397 RON 1,798

173.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$284 RON 1,287

43.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$686 RON 3,107

187.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$539 RON 2,440

137.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,130 RON 9,645

89.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,438 RON 6,512

366.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.02

63.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Buzias: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $397 in Buzias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Buzias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $205 – making Buzias the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Buzias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,552 in Buzias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buzias, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Buzias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $471 in Buzias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Buzias, where all-in costs run around $1,035, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Buzias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buzias – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Buzias. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.