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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,958 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,789 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,619 in Boras.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 36% less than in Boras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Boras is 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$12.83 SEK 124

-6.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$72.6 SEK 703

-42.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$10.63 SEK 103

1.13%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.37 SEK 42.27

-19.91%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.22 SEK 21.53

-34.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$2.07 SEK 20.02

-57.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$8.15 SEK 78.9

-63.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$7.42 SEK 71.9

-39.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.67 SEK 16.20

-14.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$2.15 SEK 20.84

-14.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$3.07 SEK 29.68

-48.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$4.48 SEK 43.37

-43.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.07 SEK 127

-36.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$11.49 SEK 111

-26.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$16.85 SEK 163

-36.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.68 SEK 25.92

-2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.77 SEK 26.82

-48.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.82 SEK 27.29

-30.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$3.77 SEK 36.47

-44.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.54 SEK 14.92

20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.62 SEK 15.64

33.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.41 SEK 13.68

-26.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$1.50 SEK 14.51

-28.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.23 SEK 79.7

-50.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$9.40 SEK 91.0

8.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.03 SEK 19.66

-17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.73 SEK 16.74

46.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$3.74 SEK 36.16

-86.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$86.2 SEK 834

-69.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$6.46 SEK 62.6

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.87 SEK 18.15

28.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$62.5 SEK 605

-94.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.96 SEK 19.02

-32.65%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.2K SEK 253.5K

13.42%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.4K SEK 245.8K

-6.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$74.9 SEK 725

9.57%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$28.64 SEK 277

-19.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$27.88 SEK 270

8.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$34.39 SEK 333

51.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$23.82 SEK 231

-22.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$15.85 SEK 153

-68.58%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$157 SEK 1,519

25.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,162 SEK 40.3K

28.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$81.2 SEK 787

-56.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.45 SEK 382

2.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$94.5 SEK 915

-16.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$108 SEK 1,045

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$849 SEK 8,223

11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$927 SEK 8,975

-48.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,384 SEK 13.4K

18.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,064 SEK 10.3K

13.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,480 SEK 24.0K

-73.63%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Boras: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $849 in Boras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boras pays 279% 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 $73.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $340 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 279% lower in Boras. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $849 in Boras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,958 in Boras – a 56% 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 231% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,958 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 56% less than in Boras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.