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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $291 in Bolands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $296 in Bolands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $301 in Bolands.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 336% more expensive than Bolands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bolands 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$224 EC$604

-62.88%

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$73.2 EC$198

-59.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Bolands: June 7, 2026

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 Bolands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bolands is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 336% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $437 in Bolands to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

At $291 in Bolands versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bolands but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bolands the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bolands is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bolands are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bolands gentler on the wallet – expenses run 336% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.