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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $785 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,413 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,041 in Boracay.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 65% more expensive than Boracay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Boracay 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.13 ₱193

274.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$21.30 ₱1,314

95.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.91 ₱303

116.70%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.36 ₱146

49.15%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.23 ₱75.8

22.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.28 ₱17.46

246.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.30 ₱80.2

126.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.11 ₱130

110.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.75 ₱108

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.22 ₱75.1

54.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.85 ₱52.4

92.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.64 ₱163

-4.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.83 ₱483

6.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.30 ₱266

93.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.49 ₱462

43.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.98 ₱184

-12.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.47 ₱90.6

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.58 ₱159

-26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.43 ₱88.3

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.76 ₱108

1.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.62 ₱162

-16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.07 ₱66.1

-2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.71 ₱44.01

52.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.81 ₱235

7.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$7.95 ₱491

29.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.15 ₱71.2

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.96 ₱121

31.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.36 ₱22.51

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.81 ₱49.99

302.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.22 ₱13.57

1031.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$2.19 ₱135

48.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.26 ₱77.9

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.4K ₱1.6M

14.83%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.5K ₱1.3M

14.34%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$114 ₱7,039

-27.36%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.80 ₱543

152.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$38.04 ₱2,347

-22.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$52.2 ₱3,218

-1.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$4.52 ₱279

305.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.12 ₱254

23.06%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$155 ₱9,537

29.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,962 ₱244.5K

31.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$46.06 ₱2,842

-19.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$26.47 ₱1,633

50.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$76.0 ₱4,689

3.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$53.0 ₱3,269

64.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$269 ₱16.6K

261.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$174 ₱10.8K

168.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$583 ₱35.9K

181.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$758 ₱46.8K

61.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,470 ₱152.4K

59.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$983 ₱60.7K

560.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$235 ₱14.5K

183.01%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Boracay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $269 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 183% 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 $201 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 65% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $785 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Playa del Carmen pays 183% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $269 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $155 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 $785 in Boracay versus $1,297 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 65% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.