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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,109 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,706 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,304 in Buzias, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Buzias, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Buzias are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Buzias 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$11.65 RON 52.7

0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$56.5 RON 256

-26.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.11 RON 36.67

31.20%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.34 RON 15.11

5.39%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.41 RON 10.87

-37.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.21 RON 9.99

-56.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.24 RON 14.66

-8.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.01 RON 18.14

10.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.73 RON 7.83

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.34 RON 6.05

41.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.82 RON 8.23

-9.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.21 RON 14.52

-21.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.74 RON 44.05

-14.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.05 RON 31.86

18.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.93 RON 53.9

-10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.19 RON 5.37

118.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.73 RON 7.83

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.62 RON 7.34

17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.34 RON 10.57

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.94 RON 4.23

89.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.96 RON 4.36

128.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.03 RON 4.68

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.90 RON 4.05

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.24 RON 28.22

-34.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.43 RON 38.12

22.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.15 RON 5.21

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.98 RON 8.93

30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.66 RON 2.97

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$20.15 RON 91.1

31.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.99 RON 4.49

229.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.87 RON 3.93

186.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.26 RON 41.87

-64.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.72 RON 7.76

-23.84%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$28.2K RON 127.4K

7.46%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.3K RON 118.7K

-10.81%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$157 RON 708

-47.10%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.82 RON 39.88

151.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$9.86 RON 44.57

197.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$41.49 RON 188

24.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$18.85 RON 85.2

-2.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.87 RON 35.59

-35.58%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$476 RON 2,151

-57.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.6K RON 48.0K

-50.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$70.0 RON 317

-47.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$40.34 RON 182

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$85.9 RON 388

-8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$98.0 RON 443

-11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$387 RON 1,747

151.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$295 RON 1,332

58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$587 RON 2,656

179.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$432 RON 1,954

182.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,909 RON 8,628

106.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,539 RON 6,955

322.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.85

95.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Buzias: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Buzias. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $232 in Buzias – so Buzias wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 17%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,663 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 31% less in Buzias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $476 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 $1,109, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.