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: $1,373 in Boquete versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Boquete versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,832 in Boquete versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Boquete is roughly 9% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boquete is 3% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 PAB 5.57

$11.99 MX$210

-53.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.59 PAB 29.59

$41.78 MX$733

-29.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 PAB 7.66

$10.75 MX$189

-28.74%

Cappuccino

$3.40 PAB 3.40

$3.50 MX$61.3

-2.86%

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

$1.36 PAB 1.36

$1.45 MX$25.41

-6.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 PAB 0.93

$0.88 MX$15.52

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 PAB 1.78

$2.95 MX$51.7

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PAB 2.01

$4.51 MX$79.1

-55.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 PAB 1.64

$1.43 MX$25.12

14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 PAB 2.41

$1.84 MX$32.23

30.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 PAB 1.41

$1.57 MX$27.51

-10.19%

Eggs

$2.54 PAB 2.54

$2.51 MX$44.06

1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 PAB 8.71

$8.28 MX$145

5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 PAB 7.63

$8.43 MX$148

-9.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 PAB 11.07

$10.68 MX$187

3.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 PAB 4.54

$2.61 MX$45.76

73.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 PAB 1.04

$1.44 MX$25.22

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.27 PAB 3.27

$1.96 MX$34.41

66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 PAB 1.57

$2.09 MX$36.74

-24.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 PAB 2.27

$1.85 MX$32.47

22.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$2.17 MX$38.02

-21.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 PAB 2.22

$1.03 MX$18.09

115.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$1.07 MX$18.84

59.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 PAB 5.17

$4.10 MX$72.0

26.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 PAB 8.06

$10.17 MX$178

-20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 PAB 1.21

$1.68 MX$29.38

-27.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PAB 2.72

$2.53 MX$44.31

7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 PAB 1.54

$0.51 MX$8.93

201.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.95 PAB 24.95

$26.04 MX$457

-4.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 PAB 0.97

$3.23 MX$56.7

-69.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 PAB 2.02

$2.41 MX$42.19

-16.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.59 PAB 29.59

$3.23 MX$56.6

816.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 PAB 0.88

$1.32 MX$23.17

-33.33%

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

$25.9K PAB 25.9K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-12.67%

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

$20.5K PAB 20.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-13.55%

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

$53.6 PAB 53.6

$82.0 MX$1,439

-34.65%

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

$28.49 PAB 28.49

$22.95 MX$403

24.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.90 PAB 45.90

$30.11 MX$528

52.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 PAB 86.6

$52.0 MX$912

66.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 PAB 17.76

$18.53 MX$325

-4.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 PAB 6.69

$4.98 MX$87.3

34.34%

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

$245 PAB 245

$197 MX$3,463

24.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.67 PAB 34.67

$35.60 MX$624

-2.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.47 PAB 25.47

$40.33 MX$707

-36.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 PAB 51.3

$78.8 MX$1,381

-34.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.1 PAB 60.1

$88.9 MX$1,560

-32.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 PAB 756

$947 MX$16.6K

-20.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 PAB 640

$474 MX$8,314

34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 PAB 1,588

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 PAB 1,119

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-7.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,203 PAB 1,203

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-70.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 PAB 1,143

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-82.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$789 PAB 789

$654 MX$11.5K

20.68%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Boquete and $947 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $756 in Boquete versus $947 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,373 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 9% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.