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 $3,095 per month in Biel vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,727 per month in Biel vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,358 per month in Biel vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Biel costs about 146% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Biel sits 133% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.66 CHF 20.06

$11.72 MX$204

110.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 CHF 91.6

$41.89 MX$731

168.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.23 CHF 13.20

$10.51 MX$183

54.42%

Cappuccino

$6.19 CHF 5.03

$3.59 MX$62.5

72.42%

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

$5.18 CHF 4.21

$1.51 MX$26.31

243.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 CHF 3.94

$0.92 MX$15.96

426.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.53 CHF 6.12

$2.96 MX$51.6

154.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 CHF 5.58

$4.41 MX$76.9

55.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$1.40 MX$24.35

56.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 CHF 3.03

$1.88 MX$32.87

98.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.48

$1.56 MX$27.19

174.36%

Eggs

$7.30 CHF 5.93

$2.61 MX$45.50

179.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.19 CHF 24.56

$8.32 MX$145

262.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.60 CHF 28.95

$8.35 MX$146

326.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.2 CHF 41.66

$10.86 MX$189

371.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.74

$2.71 MX$47.31

24.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.51 MX$26.25

47.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 CHF 2.45

$1.87 MX$32.67

60.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 CHF 3.46

$2.19 MX$38.19

94.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.96

$1.86 MX$32.40

29.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.04

$2.23 MX$38.90

12.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CHF 2.18

$1.07 MX$18.63

150.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CHF 0.73

$1.09 MX$18.94

-18.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 CHF 9.06

$4.19 MX$73.0

165.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 CHF 12.43

$10.43 MX$182

46.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.90

$1.66 MX$28.91

40.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CHF 2.71

$2.61 MX$45.56

27.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.34 CHF 3.53

$0.54 MX$9.45

703.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 CHF 88.5

$26.16 MX$456

315.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$12.20 CHF 9.92

$3.08 MX$53.7

296.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.10 CHF 3.34

$2.40 MX$41.94

70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.9 CHF 67.4

$3.13 MX$54.5

2547.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.82

$1.31 MX$22.87

70.99%

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

$30.9K CHF 25.2K

$29.8K MX$519.9K

3.79%

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

$28.2K CHF 22.9K

$23.3K MX$406.8K

20.70%

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

$250 CHF 203

$81.3 MX$1,418

207.78%

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

$36.83 CHF 29.95

$22.56 MX$393

63.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 CHF 46.49

$30.05 MX$524

90.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 CHF 94.9

$52.9 MX$923

120.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$74.0 CHF 60.2

$18.39 MX$321

302.45%

Cinema Ticket

$22.35 CHF 18.18

$4.92 MX$85.8

354.27%

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

$2,900 CHF 2,359

$201 MX$3,502

1344.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.9K CHF 34.9K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

729.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 111

$35.92 MX$627

279.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 CHF 37.94

$40.13 MX$700

16.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 CHF 107

$79.7 MX$1,390

65.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 CHF 129

$86.5 MX$1,508

83.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,294 CHF 1,052

$978 MX$17.1K

32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 CHF 945

$470 MX$8,206

147.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 CHF 1,848

$1,651 MX$28.8K

37.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,486

$1,203 MX$21.0K

51.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,886 CHF 8,041

$3,953 MX$69.0K

150.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,956 CHF 6,471

$6,607 MX$115.2K

20.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,723 CHF 6,282

$677 MX$11.8K

1041.45%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,294 in Biel versus $978 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 1041% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $674 vs $252 – 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 146%, 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 $4,643 per month in Biel and $1,890 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 316% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,900 per month in Biel and $201 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 $1,260, than in Biel at $3,095. 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.