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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,947 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,766 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,586 in Boras.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 33% less than in Boras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Boras is 45% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$12.77 SEK 119

-8.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$70.4 SEK 656

-40.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$10.65 SEK 99.4

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.56 SEK 42.56

-22.81%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$2.24 SEK 20.89

-32.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$2.14 SEK 20.00

-54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$7.94 SEK 74.1

-62.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.27 SEK 67.9

-38.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.67 SEK 15.57

-17.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$2.23 SEK 20.82

-15.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$3.04 SEK 28.33

-46.05%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$4.50 SEK 42.00

-44.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.10 SEK 122

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.63 SEK 109

-28.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$17.39 SEK 162

-38.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.69 SEK 25.13

-3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$2.87 SEK 26.78

-49.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.81 SEK 26.25

-32.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$3.59 SEK 33.45

-42.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.61 SEK 15.06

10.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.60 SEK 14.94

36.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.42 SEK 13.25

-26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$1.46 SEK 13.67

-26.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$8.24 SEK 76.9

-50.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$9.83 SEK 91.8

4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.94 SEK 18.13

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.71 SEK 15.99

50.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$3.73 SEK 34.82

-86.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$86.6 SEK 808

-69.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$6.18 SEK 57.7

-47.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.89 SEK 17.68

31.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$63.9 SEK 596

-94.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.90 SEK 17.76

-31.05%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.3K SEK 245.5K

15.09%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$25.0K SEK 233.5K

-6.35%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$75.9 SEK 709

9.13%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$28.10 SEK 262

-20.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.50 SEK 257

6.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$34.14 SEK 319

51.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$23.96 SEK 224

-23.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.89 SEK 148

-68.09%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$160 SEK 1,496

25.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,124 SEK 38.5K

26.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$81.5 SEK 761

-54.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$40.01 SEK 373

-0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$95.3 SEK 889

-17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$110 SEK 1,027

-20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$846 SEK 7,891

15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$902 SEK 8,419

-48.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,367 SEK 12.8K

20.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,096 SEK 10.2K

11.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$3,942 SEK 36.8K

0.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$3,388 SEK 31.6K

91.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,547 SEK 23.8K

-73.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.8

137.92%

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 Boras: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $846 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 284% 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 $70.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $343 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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 Boras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Boras earns 284% 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 $846 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,947 in Boras – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 227% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,947 in Boras, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Boras. 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 Boras, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Boras 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 50% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.