Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $796 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,258 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,721 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sao Joao da Boa Vista and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sao Joao da Boa Vista 41% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 R$27.54

$11.67 MX$202

-52.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 R$135

$41.88 MX$726

-34.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 R$27.78

$10.40 MX$180

-46.25%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R$10.03

$3.61 MX$62.6

-44.04%

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

$1.20 R$5.96

$1.47 MX$25.45

-18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.26

$0.91 MX$15.80

-5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 R$10.55

$3.03 MX$52.6

-30.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 R$13.03

$4.47 MX$77.4

-41.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 R$4.68

$1.38 MX$23.83

-31.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.97

$1.84 MX$31.93

-13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.63

$1.61 MX$27.82

-17.39%

Eggs

$2.85 R$14.18

$2.57 MX$44.52

10.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 R$63.0

$8.49 MX$147

49.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 R$21.28

$8.49 MX$147

-49.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.71 R$43.28

$10.99 MX$190

-20.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.08

$2.73 MX$47.25

-40.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.22

$1.50 MX$25.92

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 R$10.57

$1.96 MX$33.93

8.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.02

$2.12 MX$36.70

-14.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.30

$1.86 MX$32.30

-31.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.18

$2.17 MX$37.67

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R$5.19

$1.07 MX$18.59

-2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.34

$1.05 MX$18.18

-55.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.81

$4.19 MX$72.6

-47.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 R$29.42

$10.28 MX$178

-42.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R$7.03

$1.67 MX$28.87

-14.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$2.49 MX$43.12

-14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.25

$0.54 MX$9.37

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.76 R$188

$26.27 MX$455

43.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 R$6.20

$3.10 MX$53.8

-59.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R$5.32

$2.46 MX$42.66

-56.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 R$31.96

$3.24 MX$56.1

98.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 R$3.91

$1.26 MX$21.83

-37.30%

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

$21.1K R$104.7K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-30.17%

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

$28.4K R$141.1K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

21.06%

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

$86.0 R$427

$84.0 MX$1,456

2.33%

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

$11.85 R$58.9

$22.21 MX$385

-46.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 R$91.1

$29.65 MX$514

-38.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.53 R$112

$52.6 MX$912

-57.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.98 R$109

$18.34 MX$318

19.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 R$22.83

$4.95 MX$85.7

-7.27%

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

$285 R$1,418

$198 MX$3,438

43.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,884 R$39.2K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

48.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.82 R$228

$35.95 MX$623

27.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.41 R$196

$40.06 MX$694

-1.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.48 R$196

$78.8 MX$1,365

-49.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.38 R$206

$86.5 MX$1,499

-52.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 R$1,597

$977 MX$16.9K

-67.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 R$1,060

$471 MX$8,158

-54.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 R$2,903

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-63.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 R$2,174

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-64.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,881 R$9,347

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-53.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 R$5,954

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-81.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 R$3,304

$714 MX$12.4K

-6.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. 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 7% 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 $27 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $252 – making Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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

Sao Joao da Boa Vista vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,194 per month in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $796 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 44% less in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, where all-in costs run around $796, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Sao Joao da Boa Vista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Joao da Boa Vista – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sao Joao da Boa Vista. 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.