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: $999 in Bihac versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,440 in Bihac versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,880 in Bihac versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bihac costs roughly 23% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bihac 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 BAM 11.57

$11.73 MX$203

-41.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.91 BAM 50.3

$41.62 MX$720

-28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 BAM 9.68

$10.64 MX$184

-45.86%

Cappuccino

$1.16 BAM 1.94

$3.52 MX$60.9

-67.05%

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

$1.16 BAM 1.94

$1.51 MX$26.12

-23.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.44

$0.97 MX$16.84

-11.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$2.95 MX$51.0

-49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 BAM 2.92

$4.45 MX$77.0

-60.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.24

$1.38 MX$23.93

-2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 BAM 1.87

$1.89 MX$32.72

-41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BAM 4.01

$1.64 MX$28.32

45.12%

Eggs

$2.87 BAM 4.83

$2.51 MX$43.34

14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 BAM 17.06

$8.34 MX$144

21.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 BAM 12.30

$8.34 MX$144

-12.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 BAM 19.44

$10.73 MX$186

7.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 BAM 2.92

$2.60 MX$45.04

-33.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 BAM 2.71

$1.46 MX$25.20

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 BAM 3.20

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 BAM 3.48

$2.08 MX$35.91

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 BAM 1.93

$1.78 MX$30.71

-35.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$2.19 MX$37.80

-34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 BAM 1.54

$1.04 MX$17.99

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.45

$1.08 MX$18.62

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 BAM 5.88

$4.08 MX$70.6

-14.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 BAM 14.04

$10.32 MX$178

-18.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 BAM 2.10

$1.71 MX$29.61

-26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 BAM 3.38

$2.58 MX$44.54

-22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 BAM 3.05

$0.51 MX$8.81

254.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 BAM 58.9

$26.46 MX$458

32.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$3.26 MX$56.4

-63.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.30

$2.49 MX$43.09

-69.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.75 BAM 18.06

$3.25 MX$56.2

230.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.51

$1.31 MX$22.61

13.74%

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

$23.7K BAM 39.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-21.58%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

11.84%

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

$210 BAM 352

$82.9 MX$1,433

152.81%

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

$19.23 BAM 32.30

$22.22 MX$384

-13.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.97 BAM 36.92

$29.34 MX$507

-25.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.75 BAM 49.97

$51.6 MX$893

-42.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.88 BAM 18.28

$18.32 MX$317

-40.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 BAM 9.32

$5.07 MX$87.6

9.47%

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

$150 BAM 251

$201 MX$3,473

-25.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,937 BAM 4,935

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-43.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.33 BAM 49.28

$36.92 MX$639

-20.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.54 BAM 29.46

$39.79 MX$688

-55.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 BAM 166

$78.5 MX$1,357

25.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 BAM 198

$87.1 MX$1,506

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 BAM 372

$973 MX$16.8K

-77.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 BAM 347

$468 MX$8,090

-55.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 BAM 518

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-81.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 BAM 471

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-77.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,492 BAM 2,507

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-62.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,326 BAM 2,228

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-79.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$806 BAM 1,354

$664 MX$11.5K

21.36%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Bihac and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 21% 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 30% in total monthly costs ($999 vs $1,297 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bihac pays 21% more on average, 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: $222 in Bihac versus $973 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 $999 per month in Bihac versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $999 in Bihac versus $1,297 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 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.