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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,848 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,556 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,264 in Biel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 54% cheaper than Biel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Biel is 107% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$30.57 CHF 24.96

-60.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$109 CHF 89.1

-56.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$18.07 CHF 14.76

-34.98%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.1

$6.02 CHF 4.91

-31.56%

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

$1.40 MX$23.78

$5.11 CHF 4.17

-72.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$4.28 CHF 3.49

-78.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$7.88 CHF 6.44

-59.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.86 CHF 3.97

45.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.49

$2.21 CHF 1.81

-23.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$4.01 CHF 3.28

-46.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$3.28 CHF 2.68

-46.04%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.83

$7.22 CHF 5.90

-60.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$22.59 CHF 18.45

-59.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$28.84 CHF 23.55

-68.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$41.01 CHF 33.49

-69.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.14 CHF 2.57

-6.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.83

$2.11 CHF 1.73

-25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$2.53 CHF 2.06

-12.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.15

$3.19 CHF 2.61

-26.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.86

$1.46 CHF 1.19

36.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.63

$1.82 CHF 1.48

8.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.06 CHF 1.68

-39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.13 CHF 0.92

7.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$11.28 CHF 9.21

-59.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$15.36 CHF 12.54

-31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$0.94 CHF 0.77

79.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$1.90 CHF 1.56

45.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$4.84 CHF 3.95

-87.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$98.3 CHF 80.3

-69.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$8.07 CHF 6.59

-35.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$4.79 CHF 3.91

-23.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$85.8 CHF 70.1

-93.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$2.16 CHF 1.76

-28.70%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$44.4K CHF 36.2K

-48.59%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$35.6K CHF 29.0K

-27.41%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$139 CHF 113

-34.56%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$35.74 CHF 29.18

-29.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$49.96 CHF 40.79

-36.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$77.7 CHF 63.4

-11.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$21.97 CHF 17.94

-77.88%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$2,684 CHF 2,192

-91.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$37.0K CHF 30.2K

-88.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$108 CHF 88.5

-56.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$49.87 CHF 40.73

-12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$146 CHF 119

-44.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$222 CHF 182

-58.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,301 CHF 1,062

-16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,943

$1,166 CHF 952

-64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$2,277 CHF 1,859

-13.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$2,103 CHF 1,717

-39.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$9,937 CHF 8,115

-59.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$8,145 CHF 6,651

-17.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$5,678 CHF 4,636

-86.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.68

581.55%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Biel: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,301 in Biel. 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 634% higher in Biel, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $563 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Biel is pricier by about 118%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,272 in Biel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 231% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,684 in Biel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Biel at $2,848. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Biel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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