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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $797 in Boracay versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,392 in Boracay versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,987 in Boracay versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Boracay costs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Boracay 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 ₱194

$11.99 MX$210

-73.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 ₱1,297

$41.78 MX$731

-49.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 ₱296

$10.75 MX$188

-55.26%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₱146

$3.50 MX$61.1

-32.29%

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

$1.27 ₱78.4

$1.45 MX$25.33

-12.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₱15.86

$0.88 MX$15.47

-70.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ₱80.5

$2.95 MX$51.6

-55.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₱134

$4.51 MX$78.9

-51.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₱111

$1.43 MX$25.04

25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ₱77.4

$1.84 MX$32.13

-31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ₱53.8

$1.57 MX$27.42

-44.59%

Eggs

$2.60 ₱160

$2.51 MX$43.92

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 ₱485

$8.28 MX$145

-4.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 ₱254

$8.43 MX$147

-51.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 ₱482

$10.68 MX$187

-26.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ₱184

$2.61 MX$45.62

14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ₱91.2

$1.44 MX$25.15

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ₱159

$1.96 MX$34.31

31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ₱88.6

$2.09 MX$36.62

-31.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ₱110

$1.85 MX$32.37

-3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 ₱160

$2.17 MX$37.90

19.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 ₱65.2

$1.03 MX$18.04

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₱43.94

$1.07 MX$18.78

-33.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 ₱238

$4.10 MX$71.7

-5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 ₱508

$10.17 MX$178

-18.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 ₱74.6

$1.68 MX$29.29

-27.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₱125

$2.53 MX$44.17

-20.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₱22.34

$0.51 MX$8.90

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ₱50.7

$3.23 MX$56.5

-74.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₱14.80

$2.41 MX$42.06

-90.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 ₱127

$3.23 MX$56.5

-35.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₱78.7

$1.32 MX$23.10

-3.03%

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

$26.6K ₱1.6M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-10.44%

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

$20.5K ₱1.3M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-13.35%

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

$117 ₱7,185

$82.0 MX$1,434

42.30%

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

$8.78 ₱540

$22.95 MX$401

-61.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.13 ₱2,409

$30.11 MX$527

29.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ₱3,306

$52.0 MX$909

3.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.30 ₱265

$18.53 MX$324

-76.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ₱261

$4.98 MX$87.0

-15.06%

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

$149 ₱9,181

$197 MX$3,452

-24.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,041 ₱248.8K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-24.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.67 ₱2,873

$35.60 MX$622

31.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.65 ₱1,641

$40.33 MX$705

-33.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ₱4,654

$78.8 MX$1,377

-4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.9 ₱3,254

$88.9 MX$1,555

-40.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 ₱16.1K

$947 MX$16.6K

-72.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₱11.0K

$474 MX$8,288

-62.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 ₱35.7K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-64.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 ₱45.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-38.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,397 ₱147.6K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

-40.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 ₱58.9K

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-85.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$238 ₱14.7K

$654 MX$11.4K

-63.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

11.42

-41.59%

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

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $261 in Boracay and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 174% 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: $21.00 in Boracay vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $249 per month, with Boracay 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

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

Boracay and Playa del Carmen differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($797 vs $1,256 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 174% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $261 in Boracay versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $149 in Boracay versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $797 in Boracay versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay 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.

Safety-wise, Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.