Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Biarritz and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $2,091 in Biarritz, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Biarritz
🇫🇷 France
$2,091
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Biarritz and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Biarritz and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,091 in Biarritz versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Biarritz $2,091
  • Playa del Carmen $1,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,371 in Biarritz versus $2,113 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Biarritz $3,371
  • Playa del Carmen $2,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,652 in Biarritz versus $3,016 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Biarritz $4,652
  • Playa del Carmen $3,016

Living in Biarritz is roughly 73% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Biarritz is 55% above, Playa del Carmen is 10% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.87 €17.67
$10.76 MX$199
84.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.2 €68.7
$43.03 MX$795
79.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.97 €12.43
$11.79 MX$218
18.49%
Cappuccino
$3.77 €3.36
$3.87 MX$71.4
-2.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 €2.54
$1.37 MX$25.29
108.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 €1.28
$0.84 MX$15.44
71.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.93 €7.05
$3.10 MX$57.3
155.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.63 €5.90
$5.07 MX$93.6
30.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 €1.05
$1.44 MX$26.55
-18.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.01 €1.79
$2.23 MX$41.23
-9.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$1.47 MX$27.17
51.02%
Eggs
$3.65 €3.25
$2.53 MX$46.71
44.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.78 €12.26
$7.30 MX$135
88.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.93 €14.17
$7.86 MX$145
102.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.32 €18.07
$12.79 MX$236
58.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.27 €2.91
$2.90 MX$53.6
12.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.21 €1.96
$1.44 MX$26.53
53.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.28 €2.92
$2.55 MX$47.07
28.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.38 €3.90
$2.06 MX$38.03
112.62%
Potato (1kg)
$2.18 €1.94
$2.00 MX$36.97
9.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.63 €2.34
$2.01 MX$37.07
30.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.19 MX$22.02
15.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 €0.47
$1.26 MX$23.23
-58.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.04 €11.60
$4.40 MX$81.4
196.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.16 €9.03
$9.59 MX$177
5.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.89 €3.46
$1.59 MX$29.41
144.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 €3.04
$2.81 MX$51.9
21.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.57 €1.40
$0.57 MX$10.47
175.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.31 €37.64
$27.82 MX$514
52.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.24 €1.99
$4.98 MX$92.1
-55.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 €1.68
$3.50 MX$64.6
-46.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.32 €33.20
$5.40 MX$99.8
591.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.81
$1.47 MX$27.08
38.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.7K €30.9K
$21.0K MX$387.8K
65.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €30.1K
$23.9K MX$441.8K
41.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 €193
$84.2 MX$1,556
157.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.24 €13.55
$23.99 MX$443
-36.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.33 €27.87
$29.02 MX$536
7.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$71.9 €64.0
$63.0 MX$1,164
14.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.87 €21.24
$29.14 MX$539
-18.09%
Cinema Ticket
$9.91 €8.82
$4.94 MX$91.3
100.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$782 €695
$204 MX$3,763
283.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K €11.9K
$3,941 MX$72.8K
240.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$118 €105
$43.60 MX$806
169.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.28 €39.39
$43.12 MX$797
2.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 €96.1
$75.8 MX$1,400
42.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147 €130
$88.6 MX$1,637
65.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$900 €801
$1,008 MX$18.6K
-10.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$800 €711
$374 MX$6,911
113.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,165 €1,925
$1,708 MX$31.6K
26.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,737 €1,545
$1,106 MX$20.4K
57.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.1K €8,987
$3,944 MX$72.9K
156.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,631 €6,788
$6,169 MX$114.0K
23.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Biarritz
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,301 €2,047
$754 MX$13.9K
205.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.7
11.45
-67.69%

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

Last update for Biarritz: October 10, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Biarritz
$800
Playa del Carmen
$374 53.2% $426
Groceries & Markets
Biarritz
$372
Playa del Carmen
$258 30.6% $114
Eating Out
Biarritz
$316
Playa del Carmen
$202 36% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Biarritz
$264
Playa del Carmen
$137 47.9% $126
Clothing & Footwear
Biarritz
$187
Playa del Carmen
$113 39.7% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Biarritz
$92
Playa del Carmen
$73 20.6% $19
Getting Around
Biarritz
$60
Playa del Carmen
$53 12.8% $7.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $900 in Biarritz and $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Biarritz pays 205% 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: $77.0 in Biarritz vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Biarritz
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
10:49 10:49 AM
03:49 3:49 AM
7 h behind Biarritz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
25,764
149,923
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Biarritz Playa del Carmen 8,100 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Biarritz
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Biarritz vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Biarritz and in Playa del Carmen?
Biarritz and Playa del Carmen differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($2,091 vs $1,210 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Biarritz or Playa del Carmen?
Average pay runs 205% higher in Biarritz, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Biarritz and in Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $900 in Biarritz versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Biarritz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $77.0 in Biarritz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,091 in Biarritz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Biarritz. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Biarritz and Playa del Carmen?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Biarritz or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Biarritz and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Biarritz or Playa del Carmen?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Biarritz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Biarritz vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?