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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,947 in Boras versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,766 in Boras versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,586 in Boras versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Boras is roughly 50% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boras is 45% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 SEK 119

$11.73 MX$203

8.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 SEK 656

$41.62 MX$720

69.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 SEK 99.4

$10.64 MX$184

0.09%

Cappuccino

$4.56 SEK 42.56

$3.52 MX$60.9

29.55%

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

$2.24 SEK 20.89

$1.51 MX$26.12

48.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SEK 20.00

$0.97 MX$16.84

120.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 SEK 74.1

$2.95 MX$51.0

169.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 SEK 67.9

$4.45 MX$77.0

63.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 15.57

$1.38 MX$23.93

21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 SEK 20.82

$1.89 MX$32.72

17.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 SEK 28.33

$1.64 MX$28.32

85.37%

Eggs

$4.50 SEK 42.00

$2.51 MX$43.34

79.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 SEK 122

$8.34 MX$144

57.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 SEK 109

$8.34 MX$144

39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 SEK 162

$10.73 MX$186

62.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 SEK 25.13

$2.60 MX$45.04

3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 SEK 26.78

$1.46 MX$25.20

96.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 SEK 26.25

$1.90 MX$32.87

47.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 SEK 33.45

$2.08 MX$35.91

72.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 SEK 15.06

$1.78 MX$30.71

-9.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 SEK 14.94

$2.19 MX$37.80

-26.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 SEK 13.25

$1.04 MX$17.99

36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SEK 13.67

$1.08 MX$18.62

35.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 SEK 76.9

$4.08 MX$70.6

101.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 SEK 91.8

$10.32 MX$178

-4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 SEK 18.13

$1.71 MX$29.61

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SEK 15.99

$2.58 MX$44.54

-33.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.73 SEK 34.82

$0.51 MX$8.81

631.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.6 SEK 808

$26.46 MX$458

227.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 SEK 57.7

$3.26 MX$56.4

89.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SEK 17.68

$2.49 MX$43.09

-24.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$63.9 SEK 596

$3.25 MX$56.2

1866.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 SEK 17.76

$1.31 MX$22.61

45.04%

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

$26.3K SEK 245.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-13.11%

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

$25.0K SEK 233.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

6.78%

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

$75.9 SEK 709

$82.9 MX$1,433

-8.36%

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

$28.10 SEK 262

$22.22 MX$384

26.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.50 SEK 257

$29.34 MX$507

-6.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.14 SEK 319

$51.6 MX$893

-33.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.96 SEK 224

$18.32 MX$317

30.79%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 SEK 148

$5.07 MX$87.6

213.41%

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

$160 SEK 1,496

$201 MX$3,473

-20.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,124 SEK 38.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 SEK 761

$36.92 MX$639

120.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.01 SEK 373

$39.79 MX$688

0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 SEK 889

$78.5 MX$1,357

21.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 SEK 1,027

$87.1 MX$1,506

26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 SEK 7,891

$973 MX$16.8K

-13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$902 SEK 8,419

$468 MX$8,090

92.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 SEK 12.8K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-16.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,096 SEK 10.2K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-10.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 SEK 36.8K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-0.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,388 SEK 31.6K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-47.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,547 SEK 23.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

283.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

11.42

-57.97%

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

Last update for Boras: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $846 in Boras and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 284% 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: $70.0 in Boras vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $249 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Boras pays 284% 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: $846 in Boras versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,947 per month in Boras versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 227% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,947 in Boras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Boras. 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 Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Boras 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 50% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.