Boquete vs Playa del Carmen: cost of living for digital nomads

Boquete, Panama and Playa del Carmen, Mexico, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Boquete is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen for a month of nomad living ($1,550 vs $1,670).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $700 in Boquete against $820 in Playa del Carmen.
  • Boquete scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 7/10).
  • Internet is faster in Boquete: 100 Mbps typical against 80 Mbps.
  • Boquete is temperate; Playa del Carmen is tropical.

Boquete wins 6 of the measured lines; Playa del Carmen wins 2.

LineBoquetePlaya del Carmen
Monthly total (USD)$1,550$1,670
Rent$700$820
Food$400$430
Transport$60$50
Coworking$100$130
Safety (out of 10)8/107/10
Internet (Mbps)10080
Climatetemperatetropical
City sizesmallmid
Settingmountaincoast
Nomad score (out of 10)7/109/10

Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.