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

๐Ÿ™‚ Solo nomad: Boracay is 48.4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 20.4% cheaper with rent.
๐Ÿ™‚ Family of 3: Boracay is 26.6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 33.9% cheaper with rent.
Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 โ‚ฑ170
$11.99 MX$227
-74.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.13 โ‚ฑ1,176
$42.47 MX$803
-50.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.85 โ‚ฑ270
$10.47 MX$198
-53.68%
Cappuccino
$2.62 โ‚ฑ146
$3.6 MX$68.2
-27.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.26 โ‚ฑ70.1
$1.44 MX$27.16
-12.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28 โ‚ฑ15.66
$0.89 MX$16.79
-68.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.29 โ‚ฑ72
$3.09 MX$58.5
-58.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 โ‚ฑ121
$4.58 MX$86.6
-52.40%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 โ‚ฑ96.4
$1.38 MX$26.04
25.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 โ‚ฑ67.2
$1.85 MX$34.9
-34.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.91 โ‚ฑ50.8
$1.57 MX$29.68
-42.04%
Eggs
$2.63 โ‚ฑ146
$2.55 MX$48.3
3.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.01 โ‚ฑ446
$8.61 MX$163
-6.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.2 โ‚ฑ234
$8.54 MX$161
-50.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.87 โ‚ฑ438
$10.98 MX$208
-28.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 โ‚ฑ158
$2.72 MX$51.4
4.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 โ‚ฑ85.8
$1.51 MX$28.57
1.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.63 โ‚ฑ147
$1.88 MX$35.63
39.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 โ‚ฑ76.7
$2.19 MX$41.42
-36.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 โ‚ฑ99.4
$1.87 MX$35.3
-4.28%
Onion (1kg)
$2.55 โ‚ฑ142
$2.19 MX$41.37
16.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 โ‚ฑ59
$1.07 MX$20.23
-0.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 โ‚ฑ42.03
$1.09 MX$20.64
-31.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.89 โ‚ฑ217
$3.96 MX$74.9
-1.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.93 โ‚ฑ386
$8.86 MX$167
-21.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 โ‚ฑ67.2
$1.72 MX$32.53
-29.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 โ‚ฑ113
$2.61 MX$49.37
-22.61%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 โ‚ฑ20.06
$0.52 MX$9.74
-30.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.59 MX$503
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 โ‚ฑ45.13
$3.24 MX$61.2
-75.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 โ‚ฑ12.17
$2.38 MX$44.94
-90.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.09 โ‚ฑ116
$3.11 MX$58.7
-32.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 โ‚ฑ71.4
$1.31 MX$24.85
-2.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K โ‚ฑ1.5M
$30.3K MX$573K
-12.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.6K โ‚ฑ1.1M
$24K MX$453.6K
-14.08%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 โ‚ฑ6,427
$84.2 MX$1,592
37.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.8 โ‚ฑ490
$22.14 MX$419
-60.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.59 โ‚ฑ2,149
$30.14 MX$570
28.04%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.9 โ‚ฑ2,944
$52 MX$983
1.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.43 โ‚ฑ692
$18.72 MX$354
-33.60%
Cinema Ticket
$4.26 โ‚ฑ237
$5.07 MX$95.9
-15.98%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$152 โ‚ฑ8,468
$200 MX$3,787
-24.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,000 โ‚ฑ222.7K
$5,333 MX$100.8K
-24.99%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.55 โ‚ฑ2,592
$35.74 MX$676
30.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.32 โ‚ฑ1,465
$39.8 MX$753
-33.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.7 โ‚ฑ4,214
$79 MX$1,493
-4.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$53.3 โ‚ฑ2,965
$88.4 MX$1,671
-39.73%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$762 โ‚ฑ42.4K
$965 MX$18.3K
-21.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 โ‚ฑ21.7K
$474 MX$8,968
-17.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 โ‚ฑ67.8K
$1,653 MX$31.2K
-26.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$742 โ‚ฑ41.3K
$1,202 MX$22.7K
-38.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,979 โ‚ฑ221.5K
$3,081 MX$58.3K
29.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,204 โ‚ฑ67K
$7,529 MX$142.3K
-84.01%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Boracay
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$244 โ‚ฑ13.6K
$792 MX$15K
-69.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
11.42
-41.59%

Citycost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Boracay: October 28, 2025

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 28, 2025

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