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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,089 in Bonao versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,472 in Bonao versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bonao costs roughly 45% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bonao 47% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 DOP 335

$11.94 MX$208

-52.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 DOP 1,621

$42.75 MX$744

-36.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 DOP 300

$10.59 MX$184

-52.50%

Cappuccino

$1.96 DOP 116

$3.62 MX$63.0

-45.86%

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

$0.99 DOP 58.9

$1.47 MX$25.54

-32.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 DOP 47.31

$0.94 MX$16.41

-15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 DOP 143

$3.09 MX$53.8

-22.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 DOP 180

$4.46 MX$77.6

-32.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 DOP 81.8

$1.43 MX$24.80

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 DOP 84.7

$1.88 MX$32.79

-24.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 DOP 56.2

$1.63 MX$28.34

-42.33%

Eggs

$1.60 DOP 95.2

$2.64 MX$45.99

-39.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 DOP 435

$8.21 MX$143

-10.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.68 DOP 338

$8.29 MX$144

-31.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 DOP 646

$11.10 MX$193

-2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 DOP 140

$2.65 MX$46.14

-11.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 DOP 37.93

$1.50 MX$26.11

-57.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 DOP 135

$1.99 MX$34.59

14.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 DOP 78.8

$2.08 MX$36.13

-36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 DOP 129

$1.79 MX$31.11

21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 DOP 67.1

$2.18 MX$37.87

-48.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 DOP 44.97

$1.08 MX$18.73

-29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 DOP 31.87

$1.04 MX$18.04

-48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.75 DOP 342

$3.97 MX$69.1

44.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 DOP 431

$10.20 MX$178

-29.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 DOP 147

$1.73 MX$30.04

42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 DOP 192

$2.50 MX$43.46

29.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 DOP 34.14

$0.52 MX$9.02

9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.60 DOP 1,643

$26.97 MX$469

2.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 DOP 200

$3.14 MX$54.7

7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 DOP 131

$2.40 MX$41.80

-8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 DOP 145

$3.09 MX$53.7

-21.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 DOP 72.2

$1.27 MX$22.16

-4.72%

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

$26.1K DOP 1.6M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-15.35%

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

$32.3K DOP 1.9M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

38.57%

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

$75.4 DOP 4,486

$82.0 MX$1,427

-8.10%

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

$25.18 DOP 1,499

$22.45 MX$391

12.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.52 DOP 2,055

$29.66 MX$516

16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.85 DOP 1,003

$51.9 MX$903

-67.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$2.48 DOP 148

$4.97 MX$86.5

-50.10%

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

$265 DOP 15.8K

$198 MX$3,442

34.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,245 DOP 490.8K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

56.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 DOP 3,610

$36.34 MX$632

66.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 DOP 3,051

$40.05 MX$697

27.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.37 DOP 1,986

$79.9 MX$1,390

-58.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.79 DOP 2,011

$88.9 MX$1,547

-61.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 DOP 8,457

$963 MX$16.8K

-85.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 DOP 6,136

$465 MX$8,086

-77.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 DOP 17.1K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-81.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 DOP 12.9K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-82.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $142 in Bonao and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bonao vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $251 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 82% in total monthly costs ($706 vs $1,287 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,058 in Bonao and $1,930 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 $963 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 2% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $265 in Bonao versus $198 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 $1,287 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 82% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.