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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $840 per month in Doboj vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,297 per month in Doboj vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Doboj vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Doboj is about 33% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Doboj and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Doboj 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 BAM 9.20

$11.99 MX$210

-55.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 BAM 55.1

$41.78 MX$733

-22.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 BAM 10.03

$10.75 MX$189

-45.49%

Cappuccino

$1.44 BAM 2.47

$3.50 MX$61.3

-58.86%

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

$1.30 BAM 2.22

$1.45 MX$25.41

-10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 BAM 1.66

$0.88 MX$15.52

10.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 BAM 2.45

$2.95 MX$51.7

-51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BAM 2.42

$4.51 MX$79.1

-68.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 BAM 2.27

$1.43 MX$25.12

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BAM 1.73

$1.84 MX$32.23

-45.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$1.57 MX$27.51

-22.93%

Eggs

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$2.51 MX$44.06

8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.42 BAM 4.14

$8.28 MX$145

-70.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 BAM 13.13

$8.43 MX$148

-9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.73 BAM 14.94

$10.68 MX$187

-18.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.49

$2.61 MX$45.76

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 BAM 2.50

$1.44 MX$25.22

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 BAM 2.28

$1.96 MX$34.41

-31.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$2.09 MX$36.74

-32.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BAM 1.73

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$2.17 MX$38.02

-44.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 BAM 0.62

$1.03 MX$18.09

-65.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 BAM 1.27

$1.07 MX$18.84

-30.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 BAM 6.10

$4.10 MX$72.0

-13.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 BAM 11.76

$10.17 MX$178

-32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.78

$1.68 MX$29.38

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 BAM 2.15

$2.53 MX$44.31

-50.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BAM 3.04

$0.51 MX$8.93

249.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 BAM 90.4

$26.04 MX$457

103.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 BAM 1.58

$3.23 MX$56.7

-71.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BAM 1.11

$2.41 MX$42.19

-73.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 BAM 9.95

$3.23 MX$56.6

80.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BAM 2.60

$1.32 MX$23.17

15.15%

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

$21.6K BAM 36.9K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-27.34%

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

$26.2K BAM 44.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

10.55%

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

$164 BAM 281

$82.0 MX$1,439

100.13%

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

$5.89 BAM 10.07

$22.95 MX$403

-74.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 BAM 50.2

$30.11 MX$528

-2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.86 BAM 40.81

$52.0 MX$912

-54.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.94 BAM 20.41

$18.53 MX$325

-35.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.76 BAM 9.84

$4.98 MX$87.3

15.66%

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

$120 BAM 204

$197 MX$3,463

-39.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,369 BAM 5,762

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-36.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.70 BAM 81.6

$35.60 MX$624

33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.56 BAM 60.8

$40.33 MX$707

-11.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 BAM 151

$78.8 MX$1,381

11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 173

$88.9 MX$1,560

13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 BAM 337

$947 MX$16.6K

-79.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 BAM 279

$474 MX$8,314

-65.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 BAM 569

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-79.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BAM 548

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-73.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,307 BAM 2,235

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-67.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,777 BAM 3,039

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-72.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$527 BAM 901

$654 MX$11.5K

-19.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

11.42

-66.73%

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

Last update for Doboj: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Doboj versus $947 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 24% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $32.00 in Doboj versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $249 – making Doboj 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,260 per month in Doboj and $1,884 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 Doboj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Doboj and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Doboj, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Doboj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Doboj – 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 Doboj. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.