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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,262 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,491 in Bournemouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,726 in Bournemouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,054 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,960 in Bournemouth, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 49% cheaper than Bournemouth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Bournemouth is 85% above โ€“ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61 MX$201
$20.24 ยฃ15.00
-42.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75 MX$742
$93.7 ยฃ69.4
-54.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.60 MX$184
$9.38 ยฃ6.95
13.01%
Cappuccino
$3.59 MX$62.3
$4.31 ยฃ3.19
-16.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$25.21
$2.28 ยฃ1.69
-36.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 MX$15.58
$1.77 ยฃ1.31
-49.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$52.6
$6.72 ยฃ4.98
-54.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.56 MX$79.2
$5.54 ยฃ4.11
-17.69%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$25.20
$1.70 ยฃ1.26
-14.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 MX$31.72
$1.24 ยฃ0.92
47.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.92
$2.55 ยฃ1.89
-36.86%
Eggs
$2.54 MX$44.05
$3.31 ยฃ2.45
-23.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.54 MX$148
$9.58 ยฃ7.10
-10.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.47 MX$147
$7.00 ยฃ5.19
21.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.86 MX$189
$13.57 ยฃ10.05
-19.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$47.37
$2.72 ยฃ2.01
0.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.91
$1.43 ยฃ1.06
4.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.94 MX$33.73
$2.33 ยฃ1.73
-16.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 MX$37.57
$2.22 ยฃ1.64
-2.70%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.05
$1.78 ยฃ1.32
3.93%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.00
$1.30 ยฃ0.96
68.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 MX$18.62
$0.95 ยฃ0.70
12.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.81
$1.46 ยฃ1.08
-26.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.06 MX$70.5
$21.90 ยฃ16.23
-81.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.46 MX$182
$10.08 ยฃ7.47
3.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 MX$28.71
$2.69 ยฃ1.99
-38.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55 MX$44.23
$2.48 ยฃ1.84
2.82%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$9.65
$2.65 ยฃ1.97
-78.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.20 MX$455
$86.2 ยฃ63.9
-69.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 MX$54.5
$3.99 ยฃ2.95
-21.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.37 MX$41.17
$1.99 ยฃ1.47
19.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 MX$56.2
$26.19 ยฃ19.41
-87.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.81
$1.90 ยฃ1.41
-31.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K MX$530.2K
$38.2K ยฃ28.3K
-20.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$413.6K
$39.3K ยฃ29.1K
-39.40%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.1 MX$1,443
$347 ยฃ257
-76.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.15 MX$385
$16.06 ยฃ11.90
37.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.37 MX$510
$45.11 ยฃ33.43
-34.89%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.2 MX$889
$40.00 ยฃ29.64
27.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69 MX$324
$12.80 ยฃ9.48
46.02%
Cinema Ticket
$4.89 MX$84.9
$16.23 ยฃ12.03
-69.87%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$199 MX$3,449
$2,270 ยฃ1,682
-91.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,207 MX$90.4K
$35.3K ยฃ26.1K
-85.24%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93 MX$624
$86.5 ยฃ64.1
-58.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.39 MX$684
$48.04 ยฃ35.60
-18.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.3 MX$1,394
$103 ยฃ76.3
-22.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.6 MX$1,520
$91.0 ยฃ67.4
-3.73%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$963 MX$16.7K
$1,342 ยฃ994
-28.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 MX$8,370
$1,171 ยฃ868
-58.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,645 MX$28.6K
$2,849 ยฃ2,111
-42.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,192 MX$20.7K
$2,196 ยฃ1,627
-45.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,957 MX$68.7K
$6,829 ยฃ5,060
-42.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,513 MX$113.1K
$4,370 ยฃ3,238
49.06%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Bournemouth
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$726 MX$12.6K
$3,258 ยฃ2,414
-77.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.42
5.82
96.22%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Bournemouth: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,342 in Bournemouth. 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 349% higher in Bournemouth, 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 $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $94 in Bournemouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $268 โ€“ making Playa del Carmen 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 Bournemouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Bournemouth?
Bournemouth costs about 97% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen vs Bournemouth?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,894 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,737 in Bournemouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Bournemouth?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or Bournemouth?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Bournemouth, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Playa del Carmen vs Bournemouth?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $94.0 in Bournemouth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or Bournemouth?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,262, than in Bournemouth at $2,491. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bournemouth it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Bournemouth?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,262 versus $2,491 in Bournemouth. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or Bournemouth?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bournemouth makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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