Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Borculo and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $2,525 in Borculo, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Borculo, Netherlands
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Borculo
🇳🇱 Netherlands
$2,525
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Borculo and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Borculo and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,525 per month in Borculo vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Borculo $2,525
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $3,738 per month in Borculo vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Borculo $3,738
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $4,952 per month in Borculo vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Borculo $4,952
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Borculo costs about 110% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Borculo sits 87% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.27 €19.84
$10.67 MX$198
108.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$88.0 €78.4
$43.80 MX$813
100.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.68 €12.18
$11.79 MX$219
16.03%
Cappuccino
$4.29 €3.82
$3.79 MX$70.3
13.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 €3.32
$1.30 MX$24.07
186.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 €2.68
$0.83 MX$15.47
262.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.17 €5.50
$3.15 MX$58.4
95.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 €5.03
$4.93 MX$91.6
14.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.41 MX$26.14
-2.84%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 €2.04
$2.20 MX$40.75
4.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.55 €2.27
$1.47 MX$27.33
73.47%
Eggs
$4.87 €4.34
$2.50 MX$46.34
94.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.68 €12.19
$7.29 MX$135
87.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.88 €12.36
$7.95 MX$148
74.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.26 €15.37
$12.86 MX$239
34.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.69 €2.39
$2.90 MX$53.8
-7.24%
Banana (1kg)
$2.40 €2.14
$1.38 MX$25.67
73.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 €1.77
$2.49 MX$46.23
-20.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.43 €3.94
$2.03 MX$37.67
118.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 €1.60
$2.02 MX$37.58
-10.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.76
$1.90 MX$35.32
3.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 €1.08
$1.14 MX$21.24
7.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 €0.82
$1.24 MX$22.99
-25.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.73 €12.23
$4.27 MX$79.3
221.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.97 €6.21
$9.81 MX$182
-28.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.59 MX$29.43
-6.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.75 MX$51.0
-4.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.54 €3.16
$0.51 MX$9.56
594.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$88.9 €79.2
$27.39 MX$508
224.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.00 €3.57
$4.76 MX$88.4
-15.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.78 €2.47
$3.25 MX$60.3
-14.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.11 €25.93
$5.39 MX$100
440.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.53 MX$28.36
61.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.1K €36.6K
$21.2K MX$393.7K
93.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.9K €35.5K
$23.3K MX$431.7K
71.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$260 €232
$83.5 MX$1,549
211.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.32 €19.88
$23.19 MX$430
-3.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.17 €43.80
$27.61 MX$512
78.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.55 €37.01
$56.4 MX$1,047
-26.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.98 €21.36
$28.19 MX$523
-14.93%
Cinema Ticket
$15.10 €13.45
$5.00 MX$92.8
202.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,550 €2,271
$207 MX$3,843
1131.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,902 €7,039
$5,231 MX$97.1K
51.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.5 €84.2
$43.45 MX$806
117.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.03 €38.33
$42.54 MX$789
1.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.4
$72.8 MX$1,350
44.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 €122
$88.4 MX$1,640
54.70%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,452 €1,294
$995 MX$18.5K
45.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,152 €1,026
$382 MX$7,097
201.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,284 €2,035
$1,674 MX$31.1K
36.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,875 €1,670
$1,081 MX$20.1K
73.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,694 €5,072
$3,909 MX$72.5K
45.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,538 €4,042
$6,138 MX$113.9K
-26.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Borculo
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,391 €3,021
$832 MX$15.4K
307.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
11.45
-66.64%

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

Last update for Borculo: November 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Borculo
$1.2K
Playa del Carmen
$382 66.8% $769
Eating Out
Borculo
$340
Playa del Carmen
$200 41% $139
Groceries & Markets
Borculo
$338
Playa del Carmen
$257 23.9% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Borculo
$332
Playa del Carmen
$134 59.5% $197
Clothing & Footwear
Borculo
$171
Playa del Carmen
$111 34.8% $59
Getting Around
Borculo
$121
Playa del Carmen
$50 58.3% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Borculo
$72
Playa del Carmen
$66 7.4% $5.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,452 in Borculo versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Borculo are about 4.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Borculo versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $338 vs $257 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇱 Borculo
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
00:43 12:43 AM
18:43 6:43 PM
6 h behind Borculo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,000
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.56 MXN (100 MXN = 5.39 USD). 1 EUR = 20.83 MXN (100 MXN = 4.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Borculo Playa del Carmen 8,450 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Borculo
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Borculo vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Borculo and in Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,525 in Borculo, $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Playa del Carmen comes out roughly 52% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Borculo compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,787 per month in Borculo and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Borculo and Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $995 there versus $1,452 in Borculo.
How do commuting costs compare in Borculo and in Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 69% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Borculo and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $2,550 per month in Borculo and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,202, than in Borculo at $2,525. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Borculo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Borculo or Playa del Carmen?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Borculo and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Borculo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Borculo vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?