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: $1,003 in Bihac versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Bihac versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,897 in Bihac versus $3,362 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 27% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 BAM 11.85

$11.96 MX$203

-41.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.80 BAM 50.2

$47.38 MX$804

-37.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 BAM 9.80

$11.75 MX$199

-50.55%

Cappuccino

$1.18 BAM 1.98

$4.12 MX$70.0

-71.36%

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

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$1.40 MX$23.74

-12.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 BAM 1.47

$0.91 MX$15.48

-3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 BAM 2.56

$3.21 MX$54.4

-52.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 BAM 3.04

$7.07 MX$120

-74.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.25

$1.68 MX$28.44

-20.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BAM 1.80

$2.15 MX$36.48

-50.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BAM 3.94

$1.77 MX$30.10

32.20%

Eggs

$3.11 BAM 5.24

$2.82 MX$47.76

10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 BAM 16.77

$9.20 MX$156

8.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 BAM 12.70

$9.23 MX$157

-18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 BAM 19.66

$12.64 MX$214

-7.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 BAM 3.02

$2.95 MX$50.1

-39.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 BAM 2.92

$1.58 MX$26.79

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 BAM 4.04

$2.22 MX$37.70

8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.44

$2.36 MX$40.09

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 BAM 1.96

$1.99 MX$33.81

-41.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.44

$1.98 MX$33.58

-26.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 BAM 1.55

$1.24 MX$21.04

-25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BAM 1.44

$1.21 MX$20.55

-28.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.62 BAM 6.10

$4.60 MX$78.1

-21.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BAM 14.03

$10.52 MX$178

-20.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 BAM 2.28

$1.69 MX$28.70

-20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 BAM 3.48

$2.77 MX$47.06

-25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 BAM 2.27

$0.60 MX$10.22

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.81 BAM 60.3

$29.70 MX$504

20.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$5.24 MX$88.8

-76.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 BAM 1.72

$3.65 MX$61.9

-72.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 BAM 17.66

$5.78 MX$98.1

81.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 BAM 2.49

$1.54 MX$26.09

-3.90%

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

$32.1K BAM 54.1K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

40.81%

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

$22.5K BAM 37.9K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-12.84%

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

$213 BAM 359

$90.7 MX$1,538

134.70%

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

$19.02 BAM 32.04

$25.19 MX$427

-24.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.27 BAM 37.52

$31.75 MX$539

-29.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.85 BAM 57.0

$68.8 MX$1,167

-50.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.03 BAM 20.27

$29.37 MX$498

-59.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 BAM 9.43

$4.86 MX$82.5

15.23%

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

$147 BAM 247

$226 MX$3,828

-35.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,041 BAM 6,808

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-3.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 BAM 49.22

$47.38 MX$804

-38.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.64 BAM 29.73

$43.45 MX$737

-59.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 BAM 169

$80.2 MX$1,361

24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 BAM 205

$91.4 MX$1,550

33.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 BAM 370

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-79.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 BAM 351

$409 MX$6,933

-49.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 BAM 516

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-84.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 BAM 478

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-77.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,503 BAM 2,532

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-62.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 BAM 2,286

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-79.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$816 BAM 1,375

$773 MX$13.1K

5.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

11.45

-62.45%

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

Last update for Bihac: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Bihac and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 6% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $278 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 ($1,003 vs $1,305 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% 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: $220 in Bihac versus $1,086 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Bihac versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Bihac versus $1,305 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.