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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $983 in Bihac versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,455 in Bihac versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Bihac versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bihac costs roughly 22% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bihac 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 BAM 12.41

$11.99 MX$210

-39.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.94 BAM 51.2

$41.78 MX$733

-28.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 BAM 9.52

$10.75 MX$189

-48.19%

Cappuccino

$1.20 BAM 2.06

$3.50 MX$61.3

-65.71%

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

$1.15 BAM 1.96

$1.45 MX$25.41

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.52

$0.88 MX$15.52

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 BAM 2.56

$2.95 MX$51.7

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.09

$4.51 MX$79.1

-59.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 BAM 2.36

$1.43 MX$25.12

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 BAM 1.79

$1.84 MX$32.23

-42.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$1.57 MX$27.51

46.50%

Eggs

$2.80 BAM 4.80

$2.51 MX$44.06

11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 BAM 17.25

$8.28 MX$145

21.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 BAM 12.67

$8.43 MX$148

-12.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.20 BAM 19.16

$10.68 MX$187

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 BAM 3.11

$2.61 MX$45.76

-30.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 BAM 2.89

$1.44 MX$25.22

17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 BAM 3.27

$1.96 MX$34.41

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 BAM 3.48

$2.09 MX$36.74

-2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BAM 2.04

$1.85 MX$32.47

-35.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.47

$2.17 MX$38.02

-33.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 BAM 1.65

$1.03 MX$18.09

-6.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 BAM 1.56

$1.07 MX$18.84

-14.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.60 BAM 6.15

$4.10 MX$72.0

-12.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.15 BAM 13.94

$10.17 MX$178

-19.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.13

$1.68 MX$29.38

-25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$2.53 MX$44.31

-17.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 BAM 3.01

$0.51 MX$8.93

245.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 BAM 59.9

$26.04 MX$457

34.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$3.23 MX$56.7

-62.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 BAM 1.40

$2.41 MX$42.19

-65.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.75 BAM 18.39

$3.23 MX$56.6

232.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.53

$1.32 MX$23.17

12.12%

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

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-20.50%

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

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

9.41%

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

$205 BAM 350

$82.0 MX$1,439

149.36%

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

$18.94 BAM 32.40

$22.95 MX$403

-17.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 BAM 37.46

$30.11 MX$528

-27.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.93 BAM 51.2

$52.0 MX$912

-42.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.82 BAM 18.50

$18.53 MX$325

-41.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.71 BAM 9.76

$4.98 MX$87.3

14.66%

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

$146 BAM 250

$197 MX$3,463

-26.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,926 BAM 5,005

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-45.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.42 BAM 50.3

$35.60 MX$624

-17.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.60 BAM 30.11

$40.33 MX$707

-56.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 BAM 170

$78.8 MX$1,381

26.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 BAM 201

$88.9 MX$1,560

32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 BAM 381

$947 MX$16.6K

-76.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 BAM 359

$474 MX$8,314

-55.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 BAM 527

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-81.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 BAM 487

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-76.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,486 BAM 2,542

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-63.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 BAM 2,250

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-79.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 BAM 1,323

$654 MX$11.5K

18.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.42

-63.75%

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

Last update for Bihac: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Bihac and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Bihac vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $249 per month, with Bihac cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bihac and Playa del Carmen differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($983 vs $1,256 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Bihac, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $223 in Bihac versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bihac – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $983 per month in Bihac versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Bihac versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bihac but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bihac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Bihac 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.

Expats usually find Bihac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.