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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $703 in Bohol, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,109 in Bohol, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,515 in Bohol, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 81% 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

$11.87 MX$204

$3.50 ₱213

239.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$36.15 ₱2,195

18.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.39 ₱267

142.60%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.22 ₱196

7.14%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.81 ₱49.28

85.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.37 ₱22.46

156.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.35 ₱82.2

124.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.08 ₱126

121.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.90 ₱116

-27.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.21 ₱73.4

52.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.98 ₱59.6

64.29%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.10 ₱127

23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.24 ₱500

0.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.31 ₱262

94.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.95 ₱543

19.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.90 ₱176

-9.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.53 ₱93.2

-2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.68 ₱163

-28.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.57 ₱95.2

33.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.10 ₱127

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.63 ₱160

-14.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.11 ₱67.3

-4.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.78 ₱47.07

39.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.43 ₱147

70.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.19 ₱72.5

44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.04 ₱124

27.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.28 ₱17.20

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.84 ₱50.9

272.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.24 ₱14.65

945.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.11 ₱128

49.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.24 ₱75.1

2.42%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.1K ₱1.6M

12.15%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.5K ₱1.2M

15.18%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$113 ₱6,890

-26.85%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$32.69 ₱1,985

-30.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$27.19 ₱1,651

8.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$18.79 ₱1,141

171.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.46 ₱271

310.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.61 ₱340

-12.12%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$150 ₱9,079

31.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$4,266 ₱259.1K

23.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$45.13 ₱2,740

-18.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$26.87 ₱1,631

48.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$76.4 ₱4,641

4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$53.6 ₱3,256

66.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$141 ₱8,560

578.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$108 ₱6,585

339.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$523 ₱31.8K

214.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$228 ₱13.9K

436.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$534 ₱32.4K

1108.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bohol: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Bohol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $194 – 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 81%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,054 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $703 in Bohol. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $150 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 $703, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.