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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,389 in Boquete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,065 in Boquete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,741 in Boquete.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 7% less than in Boquete, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Boquete is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.43 PAB 5.43

116.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$29.91 PAB 29.91

39.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.36 PAB 7.36

44.57%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.32 PAB 3.32

6.02%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.40 PAB 1.40

7.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.87 PAB 0.87

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.77 PAB 1.77

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.02 PAB 2.02

120.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.62 PAB 1.62

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-21.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.41 PAB 1.41

16.31%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.66 PAB 2.66

-5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.11 PAB 9.11

-8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.62 PAB 7.62

9.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.00 PAB 11.00

-2.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.44 PAB 4.44

-41.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.00 PAB 1.00

46.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.18 PAB 3.18

-40.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.64 PAB 1.64

26.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$2.28 PAB 2.28

-21.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.68 PAB 1.68

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$2.23 PAB 2.23

-53.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$1.65 PAB 1.65

-34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$5.35 PAB 5.35

-23.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$8.08 PAB 8.08

27.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.20 PAB 1.20

42.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.70 PAB 2.70

-4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.52 PAB 1.52

-66.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$25.34 PAB 25.34

4.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.01 PAB 1.01

222.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.06 PAB 2.06

20.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$30.39 PAB 30.39

-89.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.89 PAB 0.89

47.19%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$25.8K PAB 25.8K

17.58%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.8K PAB 20.8K

12.63%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$53.7 PAB 53.7

54.46%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$28.49 PAB 28.49

-22.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$45.79 PAB 45.79

-35.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$87.9 PAB 87.9

-41.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$17.68 PAB 17.68

3.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$6.41 PAB 6.41

-20.90%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$245 PAB 245

-18.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$35.53 PAB 35.53

3.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$25.36 PAB 25.36

56.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$51.4 PAB 51.4

52.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$58.9 PAB 58.9

47.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$743 PAB 743

30.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$652 PAB 652

-28.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,564 PAB 1,564

4.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,142 PAB 1,142

6.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,181 PAB 1,181

234.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,155 PAB 1,155

462.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$800 PAB 800

-17.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

63.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Boquete: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $743 in Boquete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boquete pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Boquete. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $271, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Boquete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Boquete earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $743 in Boquete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Boquete. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $30.00 in Boquete. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,389 in Boquete, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Boquete. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Boquete 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Boquete. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.