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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,577 per month in Bournemouth vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,838 per month in Bournemouth vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,099 per month in Bournemouth vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bournemouth costs about 99% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bournemouth sits 88% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.23 £15.69
$11.71 MX$198
81.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 £74.4
$46.59 MX$788
115.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.13 £8.97
$11.65 MX$197
4.12%
Cappuccino
$4.88 £3.61
$4.09 MX$69.2
19.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 £2.30
$1.37 MX$23.23
127.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 £1.57
$0.83 MX$14.09
156.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.77 £5.00
$3.35 MX$56.7
102.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.27 £5.37
$6.91 MX$117
5.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 £1.24
$1.73 MX$29.20
-3.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.92 £1.42
$2.26 MX$38.21
-15.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 £1.41
$1.77 MX$29.91
7.91%
Eggs
$4.24 £3.13
$2.73 MX$46.19
55.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.36 £4.70
$9.18 MX$155
-30.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.40 £6.95
$8.92 MX$151
5.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.65 £9.35
$12.60 MX$213
0.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.37 £1.75
$3.02 MX$51.1
-21.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 £1.31
$1.57 MX$26.55
13.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 £1.47
$2.13 MX$35.93
-6.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.28 £1.68
$2.26 MX$38.28
0.88%
Potato (1kg)
$2.08 £1.54
$2.00 MX$33.88
4.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.30 £0.96
$2.06 MX$34.90
-36.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.99 £1.47
$1.18 MX$19.94
68.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 £1.33
$1.20 MX$20.35
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.22 £17.91
$4.63 MX$78.4
423.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.72 £7.19
$10.69 MX$181
-9.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.89 £2.13
$1.62 MX$27.38
78.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 £1.85
$2.88 MX$48.70
-13.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.83 £2.83
$0.57 MX$9.69
571.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$92.1 £68.1
$29.83 MX$504
208.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.47 £2.57
$5.45 MX$92.1
-36.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.45 £1.81
$3.70 MX$62.6
-33.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.83 £24.27
$5.98 MX$101
449.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 £1.43
$1.55 MX$26.26
25.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K £28.5K
$22.3K MX$377.4K
72.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.1K £31.1K
$25.9K MX$438.7K
62.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$363 £268
$89.1 MX$1,507
307.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.32 £12.06
$25.04 MX$423
-34.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.83 £33.14
$31.50 MX$532
42.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.21 £28.98
$67.8 MX$1,146
-42.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.34 £9.12
$28.92 MX$489
-57.33%
Cinema Ticket
$17.36 £12.84
$5.05 MX$85.4
243.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,329 £1,722
$225 MX$3,803
935.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$34.3K £25.4K
$4,222 MX$71.4K
712.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.2 £71.1
$47.44 MX$802
102.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.64 £33.74
$44.98 MX$760
1.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.8 £62.0
$82.0 MX$1,386
2.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 £107
$92.1 MX$1,557
57.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,278 £945
$1,069 MX$18.1K
19.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 £885
$405 MX$6,852
195.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,710 £2,004
$1,935 MX$32.7K
40.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 £1,458
$1,301 MX$22.0K
51.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,997 £5,172
$3,995 MX$67.5K
75.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,417 £3,265
$6,626 MX$112.0K
-33.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bournemouth
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,210 £2,373
$749 MX$12.7K
328.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.96
11.45
-56.68%

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

Last update for Bournemouth: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Bournemouth versus $1,069 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 run about 329% higher in Bournemouth, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bournemouth versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $284 vs $277 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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
Bournemouth vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bournemouth or Playa del Carmen?
Bournemouth costs about 99% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bournemouth and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,865 per month in Bournemouth and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bournemouth or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Bournemouth or in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 3% more in Bournemouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Bournemouth and in Playa del Carmen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bournemouth and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Bournemouth or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Bournemouth at $2,577. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bournemouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bournemouth or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $2,577 in Bournemouth. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Bournemouth or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bournemouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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