Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bocas del Toro Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bocas del Toro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,473 in Bocas del Toro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,072 in Bocas del Toro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,671 in Bocas del Toro.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 14% less than in Bocas del Toro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Bocas del Toro is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$9.34 PAB 9.34

24.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$49.37 PAB 49.37

-4.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$10.02 PAB 10.02

18.56%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.05 PAB 4.05

-1.73%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$1.73 PAB 1.73

-17.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$1.66 PAB 1.66

-50.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.99 PAB 1.99

60.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.91 PAB 3.91

73.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.95 PAB 1.95

-13.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$3.85 PAB 3.85

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.65 PAB 2.65

3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$16.73 PAB 16.73

-42.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.83 PAB 8.83

2.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.06 PAB 8.06

58.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$9.67 PAB 9.67

-70.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.46 PAB 1.46

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$4.86 PAB 4.86

-53.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$3.34 PAB 3.34

-40.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$1.57 PAB 1.57

-23.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.94 PAB 2.94

-44.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.47 PAB 2.47

16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

$39.77 PAB 39.77

-36.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$34.86 PAB 34.86

-10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$748 PAB 748

42.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$910 PAB 910

-57.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,187 PAB 1,187

81.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,195 PAB 1,195

6.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$699 PAB 699

8.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bocas del Toro: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $748 in Bocas del Toro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $49.00 in Bocas del Toro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $317 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

Playa del Carmen vs Bocas del Toro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Bocas del Toro differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $1,473 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $748 in Bocas del Toro. 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 $47.00 versus $49.00 in Bocas del Toro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,473 in Bocas del Toro – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,473 in Bocas del Toro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Bocas del Toro. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bocas del Toro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.