😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,864 in Boulogne-Billancourt versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,152 in Boulogne-Billancourt versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,439 in Boulogne-Billancourt versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Boulogne-Billancourt is roughly 121% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Boulogne-Billancourt is 108% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.78€16.21
$11.71MX$199
60.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.9€61.2
$46.59MX$791
52.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.01€12.09
$11.65MX$198
20.26%
Cappuccino
$5.02€4.33
$4.09MX$69.5
22.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.62€3.99
$1.37MX$23.34
237.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93€2.53
$0.83MX$14.16
253.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.63€6.58
$3.35MX$56.9
127.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.72€4.94
$6.91MX$117
-17.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48€1.28
$1.73MX$29.33
-14.45%
White Bread(500g)
$2.26€1.95
$2.26MX$38.39
-
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.89€2.50
$1.77MX$30.05
63.28%
Eggs
$4.56€3.94
$2.73MX$46.41
67.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$23.55€20.32
$9.18MX$156
156.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.47€9.89
$8.92MX$151
28.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$21.12€18.23
$12.60MX$214
67.62%
Apples(1kg)
$3.56€3.07
$3.02MX$51.3
17.88%
Banana(1kg)
$2.30€1.98
$1.57MX$26.68
46.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.97€2.56
$2.13MX$36.10
39.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.10€3.54
$2.26MX$38.46
81.42%
Potato(1kg)
$1.96€1.69
$2.00MX$34.04
-2.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26€1.95
$2.06MX$35.06
9.71%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.99€1.72
$1.18MX$20.04
68.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68€0.59
$1.20MX$20.45
-43.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.98€12.06
$4.63MX$78.7
201.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.08€7.83
$10.69MX$182
-15.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42€2.09
$1.62MX$27.50
49.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50€2.16
$2.88MX$48.93
-13.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.48€2.14
$0.57MX$9.74
335.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$50.1€43.19
$29.83MX$507
67.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$9.45€8.16
$5.45MX$92.5
73.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.18€1.01
$3.70MX$62.9
-68.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.09€30.28
$5.98MX$102
486.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.22€1.91
$1.55MX$26.38
43.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K€31.2K
$22.3KMX$379.2K
62.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K€28.6K
$25.9KMX$440.7K
27.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$270€233
$89.1MX$1,514
202.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.45€15.06
$25.04MX$425
-30.31%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.10€32.01
$31.50MX$535
17.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.53€32.38
$67.8MX$1,151
-44.63%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.91€19.77
$28.92MX$491
-20.78%
Cinema Ticket
$14.87€12.83
$5.05MX$85.8
194.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$860€742
$225MX$3,820
282.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.6K€9,147
$4,222MX$71.7K
151.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$115€99.5
$47.44MX$806
143.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.22€35.57
$44.98MX$764
-8.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114€98.6
$82.0MX$1,392
39.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$152€131
$92.1MX$1,564
64.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,387€1,197
$1,069MX$18.2K
29.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496€1,290
$405MX$6,884
268.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,762€2,383
$1,935MX$32.9K
42.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,459€2,122
$1,301MX$22.1K
88.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,075€3,516
$3,995MX$67.9K
1.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,176€2,741
$6,626MX$112.5K
-52.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Boulogne-Billancourt
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,279€3,692
$749MX$12.7K
471.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.79
11.45
-66.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Boulogne-Billancourt: August 30, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,387 in Boulogne-Billancourt and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Boulogne-Billancourt pays 471% 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: $71.0 in Boulogne-Billancourt vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $277 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
Boulogne-Billancourt vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Boulogne-Billancourt?
Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Boulogne-Billancourt or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 471% higher in Boulogne-Billancourt, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Boulogne-Billancourt and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,387 in Boulogne-Billancourt versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $860 in Boulogne-Billancourt versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Boulogne-Billancourt and in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Boulogne-Billancourt. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Boulogne-Billancourt or in Playa del Carmen?
At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,864 in Boulogne-Billancourt, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Boulogne-Billancourt. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Boulogne-Billancourt or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Boulogne-Billancourt, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Boulogne-Billancourt or Playa del Carmen?
Safety-wise, Boulogne-Billancourt 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Boulogne-Billancourt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Boulogne-Billancourt vs other spots: cost of living compared