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: $695 in Bonao versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,087 in Bonao versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,480 in Bonao versus $2,980 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 48% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.60 DOP 328

$11.87 MX$204

-52.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.70 DOP 1,564

$42.90 MX$736

-37.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 DOP 292

$10.65 MX$183

-53.24%

Cappuccino

$1.97 DOP 116

$3.45 MX$59.2

-42.90%

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

$1.00 DOP 58.5

$1.50 MX$25.81

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 DOP 49.08

$0.95 MX$16.28

-11.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 DOP 143

$3.03 MX$51.9

-19.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 DOP 183

$4.61 MX$79.1

-32.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 DOP 80.8

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 DOP 82.8

$1.85 MX$31.70

-23.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 DOP 55.4

$1.61 MX$27.65

-40.99%

Eggs

$1.60 DOP 93.9

$2.59 MX$44.51

-38.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.17 DOP 420

$8.26 MX$142

-13.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 DOP 325

$8.37 MX$144

-33.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.70 DOP 627

$10.66 MX$183

0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 DOP 137

$2.63 MX$45.12

-11.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 DOP 35.19

$1.49 MX$25.53

-59.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 DOP 130

$1.92 MX$32.94

15.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 DOP 77.4

$2.09 MX$35.81

-36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 DOP 129

$1.86 MX$31.88

18.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 DOP 67.1

$2.26 MX$38.81

-49.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 DOP 47.12

$1.06 MX$18.23

-24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 DOP 33.13

$1.09 MX$18.67

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.67 DOP 332

$4.15 MX$71.2

36.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 DOP 423

$10.39 MX$178

-30.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 DOP 145

$1.72 MX$29.59

44.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 DOP 191

$2.61 MX$44.85

24.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 DOP 32.04

$0.54 MX$9.30

1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.88 DOP 1,574

$26.94 MX$462

-0.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 DOP 198

$3.13 MX$53.7

7.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 DOP 129

$2.51 MX$43.09

-12.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 DOP 146

$3.15 MX$54.1

-20.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 DOP 74.1

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$26.9K DOP 1.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-11.49%

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

$31.1K DOP 1.8M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

31.88%

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

$74.8 DOP 4,384

$83.0 MX$1,425

-9.84%

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

$25.29 DOP 1,482

$22.71 MX$390

11.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 DOP 1,994

$29.46 MX$506

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.29 DOP 1,013

$51.0 MX$875

-66.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$2.59 DOP 152

$4.93 MX$84.5

-47.46%

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

$264 DOP 15.5K

$197 MX$3,386

33.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,104 DOP 474.7K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

53.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 DOP 3,564

$36.90 MX$633

64.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 DOP 3,034

$39.89 MX$685

29.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.31 DOP 2,010

$80.0 MX$1,373

-57.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.16 DOP 2,001

$89.5 MX$1,536

-61.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 DOP 8,582

$956 MX$16.4K

-84.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$102 DOP 5,992

$477 MX$8,189

-78.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 DOP 17.1K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-82.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 DOP 12.6K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-82.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Bonao and $956 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 $203 vs $250 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 83% in total monthly costs ($695 vs $1,271 including rent). Bonao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,042 in Bonao and $1,906 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: $147 in Bonao versus $956 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 0% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Bonao versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Bonao versus $1,271 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 83% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.