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: $1,958 in Boras versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,789 in Boras versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,619 in Boras versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Boras is roughly 56% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Boras is 47% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.83 SEK 124

$11.99 MX$210

7.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.6 SEK 702

$41.78 MX$733

73.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 SEK 103

$10.75 MX$189

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$4.37 SEK 42.20

$3.50 MX$61.3

24.86%

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

$2.22 SEK 21.49

$1.45 MX$25.41

53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SEK 19.98

$0.88 MX$15.52

135.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 SEK 78.8

$2.95 MX$51.7

176.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 SEK 71.8

$4.51 MX$79.1

64.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 16.17

$1.43 MX$25.12

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 SEK 20.80

$1.84 MX$32.23

16.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 SEK 29.64

$1.57 MX$27.51

95.54%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 43.30

$2.51 MX$44.06

78.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 SEK 126

$8.28 MX$145

57.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 SEK 111

$8.43 MX$148

36.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.85 SEK 163

$10.68 MX$187

57.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 25.87

$2.61 MX$45.76

2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 SEK 26.78

$1.44 MX$25.22

92.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 SEK 27.25

$1.96 MX$34.41

43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 SEK 36.41

$2.09 MX$36.74

80.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 SEK 14.90

$1.85 MX$32.47

-16.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SEK 15.61

$2.17 MX$38.02

-25.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SEK 13.66

$1.03 MX$18.09

36.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SEK 14.49

$1.07 MX$18.84

40.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 SEK 79.6

$4.10 MX$72.0

100.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 SEK 90.8

$10.17 MX$178

-7.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 SEK 19.63

$1.68 MX$29.38

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 SEK 16.71

$2.53 MX$44.31

-31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.74 SEK 36.11

$0.51 MX$8.93

633.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 SEK 833

$26.04 MX$457

230.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 SEK 62.5

$3.23 MX$56.7

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 SEK 18.12

$2.41 MX$42.19

-22.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.5 SEK 605

$3.23 MX$56.6

1836.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 SEK 18.99

$1.32 MX$23.17

48.48%

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

$26.2K SEK 253.1K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-11.83%

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

$25.4K SEK 245.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

7.27%

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

$74.9 SEK 724

$82.0 MX$1,439

-8.73%

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

$28.64 SEK 277

$22.95 MX$403

24.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 SEK 269

$30.11 MX$528

-7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.39 SEK 332

$52.0 MX$912

-33.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.82 SEK 230

$18.53 MX$325

28.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.85 SEK 153

$4.98 MX$87.3

218.27%

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

$157 SEK 1,516

$197 MX$3,463

-20.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,162 SEK 40.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-22.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 SEK 785

$35.60 MX$624

128.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.45 SEK 381

$40.33 MX$707

-2.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 SEK 913

$78.8 MX$1,381

20.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 SEK 1,044

$88.9 MX$1,560

21.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 SEK 8,210

$947 MX$16.6K

-10.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 SEK 8,961

$474 MX$8,314

95.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 SEK 13.4K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-15.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-12.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,480 SEK 24.0K

$654 MX$11.5K

279.24%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $849 in Boras and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 279% 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: $73.0 in Boras vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 279% higher in Boras, 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: $849 in Boras versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,958 per month in Boras versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 56% 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 231% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,958 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 56% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.