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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,955 in Boras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,309 in Boras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,663 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 5% below, Boras is 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$13.41 SEK 130

-10.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$91.9 SEK 891

-48.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$10.37 SEK 101

13.31%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$4.35 SEK 42.15

-5.29%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.17 SEK 21.08

-35.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.11 SEK 20.47

-56.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$7.20 SEK 69.8

-55.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$7.09 SEK 68.7

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.74 SEK 16.86

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$2.85 SEK 27.60

-24.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$3.09 SEK 29.95

-42.72%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$4.59 SEK 44.52

-38.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$12.58 SEK 122

-26.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$12.08 SEK 117

-23.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$17.49 SEK 170

-27.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.14 SEK 30.41

-6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.78 SEK 26.96

-43.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.93 SEK 28.37

-24.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$3.73 SEK 36.13

-36.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.52 SEK 14.71

30.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.48 SEK 14.35

33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.36 SEK 22.86

-47.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.45 SEK 14.04

-16.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.03 SEK 68.1

-34.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$8.48 SEK 82.2

24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.84 SEK 17.79

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.71 SEK 16.56

61.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$3.79 SEK 36.78

-84.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$81.7 SEK 792

-63.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$5.09 SEK 49.38

2.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.13 SEK 10.93

223.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$43.04 SEK 417

-86.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.87 SEK 18.08

-17.65%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$26.2K SEK 253.8K

-12.92%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$15.5K SEK 150.7K

66.09%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$62.4 SEK 604

45.42%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$31.71 SEK 307

-20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$41.22 SEK 400

-22.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$36.00 SEK 349

91.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$26.08 SEK 253

12.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$15.44 SEK 150

-68.52%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$166 SEK 1,605

36.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$52.3 SEK 507

-9.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$51.6 SEK 501

-15.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$83.3 SEK 807

-3.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$102 SEK 991

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$902 SEK 8,740

-54.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,469 SEK 23.9K

-68.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.8

138.54%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Boras: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Boras pays 219% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $92.0 in Boras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $354 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 219% 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,955 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 175% less than in Boras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,955 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.