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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $797 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,392 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,987 in Boracay.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 58% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Boracay 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.16 ₱194

279.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$21.07 ₱1,297

98.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.81 ₱296

123.49%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.37 ₱146

47.68%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.27 ₱78.4

14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.26 ₱15.86

238.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.31 ₱80.5

125.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.17 ₱134

107.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.80 ₱111

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.26 ₱77.4

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.87 ₱53.8

80.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.60 ₱160

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$7.88 ₱485

5.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.13 ₱254

104.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.83 ₱482

36.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.99 ₱184

-12.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.48 ₱91.2

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$2.58 ₱159

-24.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.44 ₱88.6

45.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$1.79 ₱110

3.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$2.60 ₱160

-16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.06 ₱65.2

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.71 ₱43.94

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$3.87 ₱238

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$8.26 ₱508

23.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.21 ₱74.6

38.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.02 ₱125

25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.36 ₱22.34

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$0.82 ₱50.7

293.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.24 ₱14.80

904.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.07 ₱127

56.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.28 ₱78.7

3.13%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$26.6K ₱1.6M

11.65%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

15.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$117 ₱7,185

-29.73%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$8.78 ₱540

161.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$39.13 ₱2,409

-23.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$53.7 ₱3,306

-3.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$4.30 ₱265

330.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$4.23 ₱261

17.73%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$149 ₱9,180

32.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$4,041 ₱248.8K

32.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$46.67 ₱2,873

-23.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$26.65 ₱1,641

51.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$75.6 ₱4,654

4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$52.9 ₱3,253

68.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$261 ₱16.1K

263.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$179 ₱11.0K

165.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$581 ₱35.7K

183.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$742 ₱45.7K

63.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$2,397 ₱147.6K

69.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$957 ₱58.9K

576.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$238 ₱14.7K

174.46%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $261 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 174% 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 $21.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $204 per month, with Boracay cheaper across the board.

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 Boracay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Boracay differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $797 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 174% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $261 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $149 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $797 in Boracay versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.