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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $706 in Bonao versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Bonao versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,492 in Bonao versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 44% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.59 DOP 325

$11.72 MX$203

-52.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.06 DOP 1,572

$41.89 MX$725

-35.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 DOP 291

$10.51 MX$182

-52.43%

Cappuccino

$2.00 DOP 116

$3.59 MX$62.0

-44.29%

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

$1.02 DOP 59.4

$1.51 MX$26.10

-32.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 DOP 48.08

$0.92 MX$15.83

-9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 DOP 140

$2.96 MX$51.2

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 181

$4.41 MX$76.3

-29.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 DOP 78.4

$1.40 MX$24.16

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 DOP 82.4

$1.88 MX$32.60

-24.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 DOP 55.5

$1.56 MX$26.97

-38.46%

Eggs

$1.57 DOP 91.5

$2.61 MX$45.14

-39.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 DOP 408

$8.32 MX$144

-15.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 DOP 323

$8.35 MX$145

-33.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 DOP 643

$10.86 MX$188

1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 131

$2.71 MX$46.93

-16.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 DOP 37.82

$1.51 MX$26.04

-56.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 DOP 132

$1.87 MX$32.41

20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 DOP 77.3

$2.19 MX$37.89

-39.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 DOP 128

$1.86 MX$32.14

18.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 DOP 66.3

$2.23 MX$38.59

-48.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 DOP 44.38

$1.07 MX$18.48

-28.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 DOP 33.37

$1.09 MX$18.79

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 DOP 326

$4.19 MX$72.4

33.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.23 DOP 420

$10.43 MX$180

-30.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 DOP 137

$1.66 MX$28.68

42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 189

$2.61 MX$45.19

24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 DOP 31.06

$0.54 MX$9.37

-1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 DOP 1,578

$26.16 MX$453

3.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 DOP 192

$3.08 MX$53.3

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 DOP 122

$2.40 MX$41.61

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 DOP 140

$3.13 MX$54.1

-22.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 DOP 69.9

$1.31 MX$22.69

-8.40%

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

$26.5K DOP 1.5M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-10.97%

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

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

38.65%

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

$76.8 DOP 4,460

$81.3 MX$1,406

-5.57%

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

$25.53 DOP 1,484

$22.56 MX$390

13.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.39 DOP 1,998

$30.05 MX$520

14.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.13 DOP 995

$52.9 MX$915

-67.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 DOP 150

$4.92 MX$85.1

-47.56%

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

$268 DOP 15.6K

$201 MX$3,474

33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 DOP 464.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

54.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 DOP 3,514

$35.92 MX$622

68.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 DOP 2,964

$40.13 MX$694

27.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 DOP 1,989

$79.7 MX$1,379

-57.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.36 DOP 1,938

$86.5 MX$1,496

-61.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 DOP 8,231

$978 MX$16.9K

-85.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 DOP 5,866

$470 MX$8,140

-78.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 DOP 16.8K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-82.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 DOP 12.5K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-82.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Bonao: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in Bonao and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bonao vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $252 per month, with Bonao cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bonao and Playa del Carmen differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($706 vs $1,260 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,059 in Bonao and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $142 in Bonao versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $268 in Bonao versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $706 in Bonao versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bonao but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bonao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bonao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.