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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $690 in Bohol, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,114 in Bohol, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,538 in Bohol, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than Bohol, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bohol are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bohol 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$3.48 ₱214

236.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$35.69 ₱2,192

17.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$4.55 ₱279

130.99%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.26 ₱200

10.12%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.78 ₱47.97

93.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.39 ₱23.96

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$1.36 ₱83.6

117.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$2.16 ₱133

104.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.89 ₱116

-25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.26 ₱77.4

49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.94 ₱57.6

65.96%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.02 ₱124

29.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.94 ₱488

4.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.28 ₱263

95.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.78 ₱539

23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.99 ₱183

-9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.54 ₱94.4

-1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$2.68 ₱165

-30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.56 ₱95.5

40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.98 ₱122

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.53 ₱155

-11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.07 ₱65.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.72 ₱44.30

51.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$2.42 ₱149

73.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.20 ₱73.7

38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.03 ₱125

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.28 ₱17.35

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.82 ₱50.2

275.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.24 ₱14.78

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$2.18 ₱134

43.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.24 ₱76.1

5.65%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

11.87%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.8K ₱1.3M

12.00%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$110 ₱6,780

-26.39%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$33.04 ₱2,029

-31.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$27.27 ₱1,674

10.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$18.85 ₱1,157

180.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$4.37 ₱269

320.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$5.65 ₱347

-12.92%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$151 ₱9,279

32.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$4,319 ₱265.2K

19.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$44.96 ₱2,760

-20.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$26.71 ₱1,640

50.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$74.2 ₱4,557

7.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$53.5 ₱3,282

61.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$141 ₱8,652

594.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$108 ₱6,659

333.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$525 ₱32.2K

214.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$223 ₱13.7K

440.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$543 ₱33.4K

1115.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.67

71.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bohol: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $141 in Bohol. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Bohol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $192 – making Bohol 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 83%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,036 in Bohol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bohol, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $690 in Bohol. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $151 in Bohol. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bohol, where all-in costs run around $690, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Bohol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bohol – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bohol. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.