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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,509 per month in Bodo vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,071 per month in Bodo vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,634 per month in Bodo vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bodo costs about 94% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bodo sits 83% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.32 NOK 227

$11.71 MX$199

107.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$129 NOK 1,205

$46.59 MX$791

177.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$24.48 NOK 228

$11.65 MX$198

110.13%

Cappuccino

$6.38 NOK 59.5

$4.09 MX$69.5

55.99%

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

$4.58 NOK 42.69

$1.37 MX$23.34

234.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 NOK 29.72

$0.83 MX$14.16

284.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 NOK 115

$3.35 MX$56.9

269.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.38 NOK 143

$6.91 MX$117

122.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.35

$1.73 MX$29.33

38.73%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 NOK 39.74

$2.26 MX$38.39

88.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 NOK 39.15

$1.77 MX$30.05

137.29%

Eggs

$5.35 NOK 49.86

$2.73 MX$46.41

95.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 NOK 119

$9.18 MX$156

39.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.89 NOK 185

$8.92 MX$151

122.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.53 NOK 201

$12.60 MX$214

70.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 NOK 34.17

$3.02 MX$51.3

21.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 NOK 25.27

$1.57 MX$26.68

72.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.89 NOK 45.59

$2.13 MX$36.10

129.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 NOK 59.9

$2.26 MX$38.46

184.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 NOK 29.12

$2.00 MX$34.04

56.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 NOK 27.45

$2.06 MX$35.06

43.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 NOK 28.59

$1.18 MX$20.04

160.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 NOK 23.18

$1.20 MX$20.45

107.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.13 NOK 141

$4.63 MX$78.7

226.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.02 NOK 186

$10.69 MX$182

87.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.90 NOK 36.31

$1.62 MX$27.50

140.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 NOK 44.75

$2.88 MX$48.93

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.60 NOK 42.84

$0.57 MX$9.74

707.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 NOK 687

$29.83 MX$507

147.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.75 NOK 90.8

$5.45 MX$92.5

78.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 NOK 15.72

$3.70 MX$62.9

-54.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.41 NOK 22.50

$1.55 MX$26.38

55.48%

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

$22.3K MX$379.2K

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

$25.9K MX$440.7K

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

$176 NOK 1,640

$89.1 MX$1,514

97.54%

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

$41.33 NOK 385

$25.04 MX$425

65.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 NOK 639

$31.50 MX$535

117.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.7 NOK 472

$67.8 MX$1,151

-25.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 NOK 128

$5.05 MX$85.8

172.28%

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

$258 NOK 2,401

$225 MX$3,820

14.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.5 NOK 843

$47.44 MX$806

90.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 NOK 501

$44.98 MX$764

19.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NOK 982

$82.0 MX$1,392

28.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,564

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 NOK 11.5K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

15.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$926 NOK 8,629

$405 MX$6,884

128.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 NOK 21.5K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

18.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,870 NOK 17.4K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

43.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,548 NOK 61.0K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

63.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,519 NOK 32.8K

$749 MX$12.7K

370.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.67

11.45

-59.21%

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

Last update for Bodo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,231 in Bodo versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 370% higher in Bodo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $129 in Bodo versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $520 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Bodo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bodo costs about 94% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,763 per month in Bodo and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,509 in Bodo and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 147% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Bodo at $2,509. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bodo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $2,509 in Bodo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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