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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,459 in Boquete versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,218 in Boquete versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Boquete versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Boquete is roughly 13% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 6% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 PAB 6.56

$11.71 MX$198

-43.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.60 PAB 40.60

$46.59 MX$788

-12.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 PAB 7.62

$11.65 MX$197

-34.59%

Cappuccino

$3.80 PAB 3.80

$4.09 MX$69.2

-7.09%

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

$1.35 PAB 1.35

$1.37 MX$23.23

-1.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$0.83 MX$14.09

45.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 PAB 2.30

$3.35 MX$56.7

-31.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 PAB 5.11

$6.91 MX$117

-26.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 PAB 1.83

$1.73 MX$29.20

5.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 PAB 2.13

$2.26 MX$38.21

-5.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$1.77 MX$29.91

24.86%

Eggs

$2.56 PAB 2.56

$2.73 MX$46.19

-6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 PAB 9.32

$9.18 MX$155

1.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 PAB 7.41

$8.92 MX$151

-16.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 PAB 15.55

$12.60 MX$213

23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 PAB 4.36

$3.02 MX$51.1

44.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 PAB 1.02

$1.57 MX$26.55

-35.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 PAB 4.28

$2.13 MX$35.93

100.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 PAB 2.24

$2.26 MX$38.28

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 PAB 2.24

$2.00 MX$33.88

12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 PAB 2.21

$2.06 MX$34.90

7.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 PAB 2.19

$1.18 MX$19.94

85.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 PAB 1.69

$1.20 MX$20.35

40.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 PAB 5.14

$4.63 MX$78.4

11.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 PAB 7.84

$10.69 MX$181

-26.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$1.62 MX$27.38

-25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 PAB 2.65

$2.88 MX$48.70

-7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 PAB 1.34

$0.57 MX$9.69

135.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.16 PAB 25.16

$29.83 MX$504

-15.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 PAB 0.98

$5.45 MX$92.1

-82.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 PAB 1.98

$3.70 MX$62.6

-46.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.10 PAB 30.10

$5.98 MX$101

403.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 PAB 1.08

$1.55 MX$26.26

-30.32%

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

$25.1K PAB 25.1K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

12.24%

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

$22.1K PAB 22.1K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-14.68%

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

$58.5 PAB 58.5

$89.1 MX$1,507

-34.39%

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

$25.76 PAB 25.76

$25.04 MX$423

2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.20 PAB 42.20

$31.50 MX$532

33.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.5 PAB 83.5

$67.8 MX$1,146

23.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 PAB 17.19

$28.92 MX$489

-40.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 PAB 6.32

$5.05 MX$85.4

25.15%

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 PAB 5,965

$4,222 MX$71.4K

41.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.99 PAB 24.99

$47.44 MX$802

-47.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.54 PAB 24.54

$44.98 MX$760

-45.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.19 PAB 44.19

$82.0 MX$1,386

-46.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 PAB 827

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-22.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 PAB 700

$405 MX$6,852

72.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 PAB 1,559

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-19.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 PAB 1,295

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-0.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 PAB 1,203

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-69.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 PAB 1,149

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-82.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$814 PAB 814

$749 MX$12.7K

8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.45

-43.23%

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

Last update for Boquete: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $827 in Boquete and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $41.00 in Boquete vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $277, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Boquete, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $827 in Boquete versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,459 per month in Boquete versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,459 in Boquete, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boquete, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boquete and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.