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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $455 in Bohol, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $799 in Bohol, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,144 in Bohol, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 187% 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 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$8.14 ₱511

46.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$31.86 ₱1,997

48.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$3.27 ₱205

259.33%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.87 ₱117

120.32%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.64 ₱103

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.91 ₱57.2

136.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.97 ₱61.0

82.47%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.01 ₱126

40.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.39 ₱463

24.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.69 ₱294

96.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.72 ₱609

30.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.46 ₱91.6

102.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.99 ₱62.1

59.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.95 ₱122

21.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.85 ₱116

7.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$4.90 ₱307

-59.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.40 ₱151

-48.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.18 ₱74.0

30.51%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

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

$25.19 MX$427

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$22.41 ₱1,405

41.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$14.19 ₱890

384.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$5.73 ₱359

412.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.01 ₱251

21.20%

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

$226 MX$3,828

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$191 ₱12.0K

467.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$157 ₱9,857

159.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$321 ₱20.1K

513.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$285 ₱17.9K

349.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$534 ₱33.5K

1156.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Bohol: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $191 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Bohol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $160 – 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 187%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $682 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.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $32.00 in Bohol. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bohol, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.