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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,115 in Boroko, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,539 in Boroko, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,963 in Boroko, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Boroko, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Boroko are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Boroko 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$8.03 PGK 34.91

46.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$38.81 PGK 169

7.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.94 PGK 25.82

79.12%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.26 PGK 9.85

55.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.81 PGK 3.53

86.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.83 PGK 3.62

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.45 PGK 10.64

20.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.17 PGK 18.13

6.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.63 PGK 7.09

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.30 PGK 5.65

45.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.28 PGK 5.58

28.12%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$3.93 PGK 17.11

-36.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.56 PGK 19.82

82.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.11 PGK 26.56

36.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$7.12 PGK 30.97

50.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.09 PGK 17.80

-36.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.96 PGK 12.87

-50.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.90 PGK 12.61

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.90 PGK 12.59

-28.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$3.19 PGK 13.85

-44.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.92 PGK 4.00

138.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.22 PGK 5.29

-14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.50 PGK 2.17

116.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$6.07 PGK 26.42

-32.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$5.12 PGK 22.28

101.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.17 PGK 5.09

46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.63 PGK 7.11

58.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.49 PGK 2.14

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$31.68 PGK 138

-16.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.78 PGK 20.81

-31.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.51 PGK 6.56

64.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$11.91 PGK 51.8

-72.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.88 PGK 3.83

48.86%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$22.5K PGK 97.7K

34.77%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$24.5K PGK 106.7K

-4.48%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$67.8 PGK 295

22.30%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$46.77 PGK 203

-52.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$239 PGK 1,039

-87.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$46.41 PGK 202

11.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$15.91 PGK 69.2

15.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$7.07 PGK 30.74

-28.29%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$363 PGK 1,579

-44.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$2,369 PGK 10.3K

120.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$31.80 PGK 138

16.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$14.15 PGK 61.5

181.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$47.86 PGK 208

63.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$28.78 PGK 125

202.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$3,646 PGK 15.9K

-73.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$241 PGK 1,050

93.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$3,574 PGK 15.5K

-54.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$239 PGK 1,041

409.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$369 PGK 1,604

80.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.82%

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 Boroko: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,646 in Boroko. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $222 – making Boroko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Boroko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 16% more than Boroko, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,673 in Boroko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boroko, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $363 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boroko, where all-in costs run around $1,115, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Boroko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $1,115 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Boroko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.