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 $877 per month in Doboj vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,352 per month in Doboj vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,827 per month in Doboj vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Doboj is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Doboj and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Doboj 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 BAM 8.76

$11.71 MX$198

-55.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.14 BAM 54.1

$46.59 MX$787

-31.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.96 BAM 10.03

$11.65 MX$197

-48.84%

Cappuccino

$1.44 BAM 2.42

$4.09 MX$69.2

-64.79%

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

$1.27 BAM 2.14

$1.37 MX$23.23

-7.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 BAM 1.60

$0.83 MX$14.09

14.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 BAM 2.53

$3.35 MX$56.7

-55.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 BAM 2.47

$6.91 MX$117

-78.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 BAM 2.13

$1.73 MX$29.19

-26.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 BAM 1.68

$2.26 MX$38.20

-55.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$1.77 MX$29.90

-31.07%

Eggs

$2.81 BAM 4.74

$2.73 MX$46.18

2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.44 BAM 4.11

$9.18 MX$155

-73.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 BAM 13.30

$8.92 MX$151

-11.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 BAM 14.68

$12.60 MX$213

-30.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 BAM 2.52

$3.02 MX$51.1

-50.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$1.57 MX$26.54

-8.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 BAM 2.25

$2.13 MX$35.92

-37.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 BAM 2.44

$2.26 MX$38.27

-35.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BAM 1.74

$2.00 MX$33.87

-48.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 BAM 2.09

$2.06 MX$34.89

-39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 BAM 0.58

$1.18 MX$19.94

-71.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 BAM 1.15

$1.20 MX$20.35

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 BAM 6.08

$4.63 MX$78.3

-22.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 BAM 12.31

$10.69 MX$181

-31.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BAM 1.50

$1.62 MX$27.37

-45.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BAM 2.56

$2.88 MX$48.69

-47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 BAM 2.54

$0.57 MX$9.69

164.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 BAM 91.5

$29.83 MX$504

82.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 BAM 1.56

$5.45 MX$92.1

-82.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 BAM 1.25

$3.70 MX$62.6

-80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 BAM 10.16

$5.98 MX$101

0.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 BAM 2.61

$1.55 MX$26.25

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

$22.0K BAM 37.1K

$22.3K MX$377.3K

-1.39%

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

$24.0K BAM 40.3K

$25.9K MX$438.5K

-7.70%

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

$166 BAM 280

$89.1 MX$1,506

86.58%

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

$5.78 BAM 9.73

$25.04 MX$423

-76.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.69 BAM 48.29

$31.50 MX$532

-8.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.27 BAM 57.7

$67.8 MX$1,145

-49.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.93 BAM 20.07

$28.92 MX$489

-58.75%

Cinema Ticket

$5.94 BAM 10.00

$5.05 MX$85.3

17.62%

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

$118 BAM 199

$225 MX$3,802

-47.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,983 BAM 6,703

$4,222 MX$71.4K

-5.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.23 BAM 81.2

$47.44 MX$802

1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 BAM 58.7

$44.98 MX$760

-22.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 BAM 152

$82.0 MX$1,386

9.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 BAM 174

$92.1 MX$1,556

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 BAM 333

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-81.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 BAM 276

$405 MX$6,850

-59.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 BAM 571

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-82.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 BAM 548

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-74.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,327 BAM 2,233

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-66.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 BAM 3,026

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-72.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 BAM 912

$749 MX$12.7K

-27.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

11.45

-64.37%

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

Last update for Doboj: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Doboj versus $1,069 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 38% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $277 – 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 48%, 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 $1,315 per month in Doboj and $1,940 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 56% 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 $47.00 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 $877, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.