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 $3,090 per month in Biel vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,810 per month in Biel vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,531 per month in Biel vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Biel costs about 143% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Biel sits 130% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.74 CHF 19.64

$11.87 MX$204

108.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 CHF 88.4

$42.90 MX$736

159.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.06 CHF 12.75

$10.65 MX$183

50.80%

Cappuccino

$6.13 CHF 4.87

$3.45 MX$59.2

77.68%

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

$5.27 CHF 4.18

$1.50 MX$25.81

251.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 CHF 4.03

$0.95 MX$16.28

433.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 CHF 6.00

$3.03 MX$51.9

149.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CHF 5.34

$4.61 MX$79.1

45.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CHF 1.78

$1.38 MX$23.61

63.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 CHF 3.04

$1.85 MX$31.70

107.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.35

$1.61 MX$27.65

161.49%

Eggs

$7.42 CHF 5.89

$2.59 MX$44.51

186.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.45 CHF 24.17

$8.26 MX$142

268.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.97 CHF 28.56

$8.37 MX$144

329.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.6 CHF 40.95

$10.66 MX$183

383.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.68

$2.63 MX$45.12

28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.80

$1.49 MX$25.53

52.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CHF 2.38

$1.92 MX$32.94

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 CHF 3.26

$2.09 MX$35.81

96.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 1.97

$1.86 MX$31.88

33.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.96

$2.26 MX$38.81

9.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CHF 2.14

$1.06 MX$18.23

154.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 CHF 0.76

$1.09 MX$18.67

-11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.88 CHF 8.64

$4.15 MX$71.2

162.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 10.93

$10.39 MX$178

32.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$1.72 MX$29.59

35.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 CHF 2.61

$2.61 MX$44.85

26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.52 CHF 3.59

$0.54 MX$9.30

737.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 87.3

$26.94 MX$462

307.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.26 CHF 9.73

$3.13 MX$53.7

291.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.09 CHF 3.24

$2.51 MX$43.09

62.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$83.3 CHF 66.2

$3.15 MX$54.1

2545.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.27 MX$21.88

75.59%

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

$30.3K CHF 24.0K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-0.39%

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

$28.3K CHF 22.5K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

20.25%

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

$251 CHF 200

$83.0 MX$1,425

202.99%

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

$36.85 CHF 29.26

$22.71 MX$390

62.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.6 CHF 44.16

$29.46 MX$506

88.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 CHF 92.1

$51.0 MX$875

127.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.3 CHF 58.2

$18.33 MX$315

300.05%

Cinema Ticket

$22.57 CHF 17.92

$4.93 MX$84.5

357.81%

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

$2,842 CHF 2,256

$197 MX$3,386

1340.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.1K CHF 33.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

697.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 112

$36.90 MX$633

282.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.15 CHF 36.64

$39.89 MX$685

15.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 CHF 103

$80.0 MX$1,373

62.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 CHF 128

$89.5 MX$1,536

79.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 CHF 1,018

$956 MX$16.4K

34.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 CHF 899

$477 MX$8,189

137.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,273 CHF 1,805

$1,646 MX$28.3K

38.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,868 CHF 1,483

$1,225 MX$21.0K

52.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,844 CHF 7,815

$3,918 MX$67.2K

151.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,108 CHF 6,437

$6,459 MX$110.9K

25.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,948 CHF 6,310

$667 MX$11.4K

1091.60%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,282 in Biel versus $956 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 1092% 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 $111 in Biel versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 vs $250 – 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 143%, 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 $4,635 per month in Biel and $1,906 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 308% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,842 per month in Biel and $197 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 $1,271, than in Biel at $3,090. 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.