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: $698 in Bonao versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,149 in Bonao versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Bonao versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 DOP 591

$11.60 MX$200

-13.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 DOP 2,965

$47.11 MX$812

7.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 DOP 470

$11.88 MX$205

-32.74%

Cappuccino

$2.02 DOP 119

$3.98 MX$68.6

-49.25%

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

$1.08 DOP 63.6

$1.43 MX$24.60

-24.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 DOP 40.44

$0.82 MX$14.22

-15.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 DOP 153

$3.19 MX$55.0

-18.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 DOP 210

$6.79 MX$117

-47.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 DOP 61.7

$1.68 MX$28.89

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 DOP 61.0

$2.20 MX$37.88

-52.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 DOP 40.47

$1.71 MX$29.45

-59.65%

Eggs

$1.19 DOP 70.1

$2.74 MX$47.26

-56.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 DOP 305

$9.58 MX$165

-45.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 DOP 325

$9.01 MX$155

-38.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 DOP 389

$12.81 MX$221

-48.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 DOP 135

$2.89 MX$49.81

-20.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 DOP 39.30

$1.50 MX$25.81

-55.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 DOP 161

$2.15 MX$37.03

27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 DOP 82.2

$2.26 MX$38.96

-38.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 DOP 122

$1.98 MX$34.15

5.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 DOP 93.6

$1.99 MX$34.30

-20.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 DOP 60.3

$1.23 MX$21.28

-16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 DOP 29.18

$1.20 MX$20.63

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 DOP 318

$4.55 MX$78.5

18.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 DOP 437

$10.37 MX$179

-28.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 DOP 126

$1.62 MX$27.91

32.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 DOP 176

$2.88 MX$49.67

4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 DOP 32.26

$0.60 MX$10.35

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.22 DOP 2,011

$28.80 MX$497

18.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 DOP 189

$5.39 MX$92.9

-40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 DOP 131

$3.73 MX$64.3

-40.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 DOP 141

$5.77 MX$99.5

-58.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 80.5

$1.54 MX$26.48

-11.04%

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

$23.7K DOP 1.4M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

5.32%

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

$34.3K DOP 2.0M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

31.68%

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

$95.4 DOP 5,603

$91.4 MX$1,576

4.36%

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

$32.04 DOP 1,883

$25.20 MX$435

27.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.04 DOP 2,177

$31.24 MX$539

18.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 DOP 452

$4.86 MX$83.8

58.23%

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

$262 DOP 15.4K

$224 MX$3,856

17.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,398 DOP 434.7K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

74.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 DOP 2,702

$47.10 MX$812

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.44 DOP 2,788

$44.29 MX$764

7.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 DOP 5,207

$80.1 MX$1,381

10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 DOP 7,563

$92.7 MX$1,598

38.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

11.45

18.43%

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

Last update for Bonao: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Bonao vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $276, with Bonao cheaper for home cooking.

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 81% in total monthly costs ($698 vs $1,266 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,046 in Bonao and $1,899 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.

A monthly transit pass in Bonao runs roughly 19% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $262 in Bonao versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $698 in Bonao versus $1,266 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 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.