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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,096 per month in Biel vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,763 per month in Biel vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,429 per month in Biel vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Biel costs about 141% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Biel sits 131% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.71 CHF 19.52

$11.94 MX$208

106.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 89.2

$42.75 MX$744

163.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.03 CHF 12.67

$10.59 MX$184

51.37%

Cappuccino

$6.33 CHF 5.00

$3.62 MX$63.0

74.86%

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

$5.32 CHF 4.20

$1.47 MX$25.54

261.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 CHF 4.00

$0.94 MX$16.41

438.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 CHF 6.15

$3.09 MX$53.8

152.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 CHF 5.43

$4.46 MX$77.6

54.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$1.43 MX$24.80

57.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 CHF 2.94

$1.88 MX$32.79

97.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.38

$1.63 MX$28.34

162.58%

Eggs

$7.51 CHF 5.94

$2.64 MX$45.99

184.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.27 CHF 23.92

$8.21 MX$143

268.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.98 CHF 28.43

$8.29 MX$144

334.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.9 CHF 40.17

$11.10 MX$193

358.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 CHF 2.59

$2.65 MX$46.14

23.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.83

$1.50 MX$26.11

54.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.36

$1.99 MX$34.59

49.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CHF 3.44

$2.08 MX$36.13

109.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$1.79 MX$31.11

39.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$2.18 MX$37.87

9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.11

$1.08 MX$18.73

147.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CHF 0.70

$1.04 MX$18.04

-14.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.12 CHF 8.79

$3.97 MX$69.1

180.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 CHF 9.98

$10.20 MX$178

23.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$1.73 MX$30.04

38.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 CHF 2.63

$2.50 MX$43.46

32.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.47 CHF 3.53

$0.52 MX$9.02

759.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 86.2

$26.97 MX$469

304.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.54 CHF 9.90

$3.14 MX$54.7

299.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.05 CHF 3.20

$2.40 MX$41.80

68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.4 CHF 65.1

$3.09 MX$53.7

2567.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.70

$1.27 MX$22.16

69.29%

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

$31.3K CHF 24.8K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

1.45%

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

$28.5K CHF 22.5K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

22.21%

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

$244 CHF 193

$82.0 MX$1,427

197.63%

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

$36.50 CHF 28.83

$22.45 MX$391

62.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CHF 43.92

$29.66 MX$516

87.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$114 CHF 90.2

$51.9 MX$903

120.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.2 CHF 57.8

$18.67 MX$325

291.81%

Cinema Ticket

$21.76 CHF 17.19

$4.97 MX$86.5

337.83%

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

$2,865 CHF 2,263

$198 MX$3,442

1348.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K CHF 33.4K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

700.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 111

$36.34 MX$632

287.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.49 CHF 35.94

$40.05 MX$697

13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 CHF 104

$79.9 MX$1,390

64.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 126

$88.9 MX$1,547

78.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 CHF 1,025

$963 MX$16.8K

34.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 CHF 889

$465 MX$8,086

142.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 CHF 1,795

$1,596 MX$27.8K

42.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,871 CHF 1,478

$1,209 MX$21.0K

54.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,986 CHF 7,889

$3,942 MX$68.6K

153.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,438 CHF 6,666

$6,448 MX$112.2K

30.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,974 CHF 6,299

$720 MX$12.5K

1006.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.88

11.42

-83.54%

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

Last update for Biel: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,298 in Biel versus $963 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 1007% higher in Biel, 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 $113 in Biel versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $672 vs $251 – 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

Biel vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 141%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,644 per month in Biel and $1,930 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 305% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,865 per month in Biel and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Biel at $3,096. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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