Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocas del Toro and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocas del Toro and Playa del Carmen

🙂 Solo nomad: Bocas del Toro is 30.4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 11% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Bocas del Toro is 19.3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 15.1% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.29 PAB 9.29
$11.99 MX$227
-22.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.55 PAB 49.55
$42.47 MX$803
16.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.01 PAB 10.01
$10.47 MX$198
-4.39%
Cappuccino
$3.97 PAB 3.97
$3.6 MX$68.2
10.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 PAB 1.72
$1.44 MX$27.16
19.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 PAB 1.66
$0.89 MX$16.79
86.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.02 PAB 2.02
$3.09 MX$58.5
-34.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.04 PAB 4.04
$4.58 MX$86.6
-11.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.38 MX$26.04
-
White Bread (500g)
$3.83 PAB 3.83
$1.85 MX$34.9
107.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.57 MX$29.68
-
Eggs
$2.64 PAB 2.64
$2.55 MX$48.3
3.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.96 PAB 16.96
$8.61 MX$163
96.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.08 PAB 9.08
$8.54 MX$161
6.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.49 PAB 8.49
$10.98 MX$208
-22.68%
Apples (1kg)
$4.57 PAB 4.57
$2.72 MX$51.4
68.01%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 PAB 1.51
$1.51 MX$28.57
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.88 MX$35.63
-
Tomato (1kg)
$4.99 PAB 4.99
$2.19 MX$41.42
127.85%
Potato (1kg)
$3.3 PAB 3.3
$1.87 MX$35.3
76.47%
Onion (1kg)
-
$2.19 MX$41.37
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.07 MX$20.23
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 PAB 1.58
$1.09 MX$20.64
44.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.96 MX$74.9
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$8.86 MX$167
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 PAB 2.79
$1.72 MX$32.53
62.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 PAB 2.52
$2.61 MX$49.37
-3.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.52 MX$9.74
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.59 MX$503
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.24 MX$61.2
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.38 MX$44.94
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.11 MX$58.7
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.31 MX$24.85
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$30.3K MX$573K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$24K MX$453.6K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$84.2 MX$1,592
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.59 PAB 30.59
$22.14 MX$419
38.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.59 PAB 34.59
$30.14 MX$570
14.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$52 MX$983
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.72 MX$354
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.07 MX$95.9
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$200 MX$3,787
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,333 MX$100.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$35.74 MX$676
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$39.8 MX$753
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$79 MX$1,493
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$88.4 MX$1,671
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$744 PAB 744
$965 MX$18.3K
-22.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$896 PAB 896
$474 MX$8,968
88.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 PAB 1,190
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-28.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,186 PAB 1,186
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-1.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,081 MX$58.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bocas del Toro
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 PAB 697
$792 MX$15K
-11.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.42
-

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

Last update for Bocas del Toro: October 27, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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