Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Boca Raton, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL, rent and utilities included – about $26,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
164

Cost of Living Index in Boca Raton, FL
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Boca Raton, FL Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Boca Raton, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Boca Raton, FL

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Boca Raton, FL $3,423

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,102 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,232 in Boca Raton, FL.

Playa del Carmen $2,102
Boca Raton, FL $5,232

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Playa del Carmen versus $7,041 in Boca Raton, FL.

Playa del Carmen $3,000
Boca Raton, FL $7,041

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 65% less than in Boca Raton, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 11% below, Boca Raton, FL is 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 MX$201

$24.78 $24.78

-56.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.21 MX$817

$100 $100

-55.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.76 MX$217

$12.29 $12.29

-4.31%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.0

$4.59 $4.59

-19.83%

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

$1.34 MX$24.79

$2.27 $2.27

-40.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$15.24

$1.89 $1.89

-56.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.06 MX$56.6

$6.12 $6.12

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 MX$91.2

$7.13 $7.13

-30.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$27.17

$1.05 $1.05

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$40.95

$4.26 $4.26

-47.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$27.32

$7.09 $7.09

-79.13%

Eggs

$2.49 MX$45.99

$5.33 $5.33

-53.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 MX$139

$11.62 $11.62

-35.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.96 MX$147

$14.07 $14.07

-43.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 MX$232

$23.50 $23.50

-46.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.3

$4.95 $4.95

-43.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$26.37

$1.89 $1.89

-24.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MX$48.37

$3.78 $3.78

-30.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.49

$5.13 $5.13

-58.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.38

$3.22 $3.22

-37.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.74

$3.27 $3.27

-39.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 MX$21.01

$1.01 $1.01

12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$22.18

$2.57 $2.57

-53.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 MX$78.7

$10.16 $10.16

-58.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 MX$185

$14.02 $14.02

-28.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.41

$1.99 $1.99

-22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$49.17

$2.40 $2.40

10.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.73

$2.05 $2.05

-74.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.51 MX$508

$35.69 $35.69

-22.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 MX$90.6

$4.01 $4.01

22.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 MX$63.5

$0.72 $0.72

376.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 MX$99.4

$29.70 $29.70

-81.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$26.76

$0.94 $0.94

54.26%

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

$21.2K MX$391.0K

$34.5K $34.5K

-38.65%

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

$23.0K MX$425.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

-9.47%

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

$85.4 MX$1,577

$217 $217

-60.70%

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

$23.46 MX$434

$53.9 $53.9

-56.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.43 MX$525

$73.5 $73.5

-61.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.2 MX$1,149

$36.17 $36.17

71.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.68 MX$530

$20.21 $20.21

41.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MX$94.3

$15.19 $15.19

-66.43%

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

$201 MX$3,715

$1,073 $1,073

-81.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,947 MX$72.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

-81.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 MX$820

$46.13 $46.13

-3.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.35 MX$764

$42.47 $42.47

-2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 MX$1,344

$70.7 $70.7

2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 MX$1,656

$68.1 $68.1

31.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 MX$18.1K

$3,372 $3,372

-70.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MX$6,887

$2,057 $2,057

-81.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 MX$31.1K

$4,578 $4,578

-63.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 MX$20.2K

$3,894 $3,894

-71.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,949 MX$73.0K

$8,693 $8,693

-54.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,137 MX$113.4K

$6,480 $6,480

-5.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$738 MX$13.6K

$5,714 $5,714

-87.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.53

75.34%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Boca Raton, FL: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$373 31%

Boca Raton, FL

$2.1K 60.1% 452% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.5%

Boca Raton, FL

$449 13.1% 73.8% $191

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.6%

Boca Raton, FL

$352 10.3% 75.6% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Boca Raton, FL

$345 10.1% 151% $207

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Boca Raton, FL

$102 3% 8.3% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$72 6%

Boca Raton, FL

$67 1.9% 8.1% $5.9

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.3%

Boca Raton, FL

$52 1.5% 0.3% $0.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $979 in Playa del Carmen and $3,372 in Boca Raton, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boca Raton, FL pays 675% 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: $44.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $100 in Boca Raton, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $449 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇺🇸 Boca Raton, FL

🕒 Local time

12:57 12:57 PM

13:57 1:57 PM

1 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

86,396

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Boca Raton, FL 960 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Boca Raton, FL

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

Playa del Carmen vs Boca Raton, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 675% lower in Boca Raton, FL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,372 in Boca Raton, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $100 in Boca Raton, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL – a 184% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,204 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,423 in Boca Raton, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Boca Raton, FL. 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 Boca Raton, FL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 184% less than in Boca Raton, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.