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: $1,389 in Boquete versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,065 in Boquete versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,741 in Boquete versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Boquete is roughly 7% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 4% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.43 PAB 5.43

$11.73 MX$203

-53.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 PAB 29.91

$41.62 MX$720

-28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 PAB 7.36

$10.64 MX$184

-30.83%

Cappuccino

$3.32 PAB 3.32

$3.52 MX$60.9

-5.68%

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

$1.40 PAB 1.40

$1.51 MX$26.12

-7.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 PAB 0.87

$0.97 MX$16.84

-10.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 PAB 1.77

$2.95 MX$51.0

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PAB 2.02

$4.45 MX$77.0

-54.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 PAB 1.62

$1.38 MX$23.93

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.89 MX$32.72

27.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.64 MX$28.32

-14.02%

Eggs

$2.66 PAB 2.66

$2.51 MX$43.34

5.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 PAB 9.11

$8.34 MX$144

9.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 PAB 7.62

$8.34 MX$144

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 PAB 11.00

$10.73 MX$186

2.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 PAB 4.44

$2.60 MX$45.04

70.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 PAB 1.00

$1.46 MX$25.20

-31.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 PAB 3.18

$1.90 MX$32.87

67.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$2.08 MX$35.91

-21.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.28 PAB 2.28

$1.78 MX$30.71

28.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 PAB 1.68

$2.19 MX$37.80

-23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 PAB 2.23

$1.04 MX$17.99

114.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 PAB 1.65

$1.08 MX$18.62

52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 PAB 5.35

$4.08 MX$70.6

31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 PAB 8.08

$10.32 MX$178

-21.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PAB 1.20

$1.71 MX$29.61

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 PAB 2.70

$2.58 MX$44.54

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 PAB 1.52

$0.51 MX$8.81

198.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.34 PAB 25.34

$26.46 MX$458

-4.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 PAB 1.01

$3.26 MX$56.4

-69.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 PAB 2.06

$2.49 MX$43.09

-17.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 PAB 30.39

$3.25 MX$56.2

835.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 PAB 0.89

$1.31 MX$22.61

-32.06%

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

$25.8K PAB 25.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-14.96%

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

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-11.22%

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

$53.7 PAB 53.7

$82.9 MX$1,433

-35.26%

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

$28.49 PAB 28.49

$22.22 MX$384

28.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.79 PAB 45.79

$29.34 MX$507

56.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 PAB 87.9

$51.6 MX$893

70.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.68 PAB 17.68

$18.32 MX$317

-3.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 PAB 6.41

$5.07 MX$87.6

26.43%

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

$245 PAB 245

$201 MX$3,473

22.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.53 PAB 35.53

$36.92 MX$639

-3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.36 PAB 25.36

$39.79 MX$688

-36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.4 PAB 51.4

$78.5 MX$1,357

-34.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.9 PAB 58.9

$87.1 MX$1,506

-32.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 PAB 743

$973 MX$16.8K

-23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 PAB 652

$468 MX$8,090

39.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 PAB 1,564

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-4.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 PAB 1,142

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-6.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,181 PAB 1,181

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-70.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 PAB 1,155

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-82.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$800 PAB 800

$664 MX$11.5K

20.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-38.70%

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

Last update for Boquete: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $743 in Boquete and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 21% 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: $30.00 in Boquete vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $271 vs $249, 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Boquete pays 21% more on average, 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: $743 in Boquete versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $30.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,389 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 7% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.