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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,090 in Biel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,810 in Biel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,531 in Biel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 59% cheaper than Biel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Biel is 130% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$24.74 CHF 19.64

-52.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$111 CHF 88.4

-61.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$16.06 CHF 12.75

-33.69%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.13 CHF 4.87

-43.72%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$5.27 CHF 4.18

-71.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$5.07 CHF 4.03

-81.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$7.56 CHF 6.00

-59.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$6.73 CHF 5.34

-31.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.25 CHF 1.78

-38.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.83 CHF 3.04

-51.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.21 CHF 3.35

-61.76%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$7.42 CHF 5.89

-65.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$30.45 CHF 24.17

-72.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$35.97 CHF 28.56

-76.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$51.6 CHF 40.95

-79.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.37 CHF 2.68

-21.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.27 CHF 1.80

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$3.00 CHF 2.38

-36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$4.11 CHF 3.26

-49.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.49 CHF 1.97

-25.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.47 CHF 1.96

-8.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.70 CHF 2.14

-60.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.96 CHF 0.76

13.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$10.88 CHF 8.64

-61.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$13.76 CHF 10.93

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.33 CHF 1.85

-26.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.29 CHF 2.61

-20.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$4.52 CHF 3.59

-88.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$110 CHF 87.3

-75.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$12.26 CHF 9.73

-74.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$4.09 CHF 3.24

-38.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$83.3 CHF 66.2

-96.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.23 CHF 1.77

-43.05%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$30.3K CHF 24.0K

0.39%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$28.3K CHF 22.5K

-16.84%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$251 CHF 200

-67.00%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$36.85 CHF 29.26

-38.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$55.6 CHF 44.16

-47.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$116 CHF 92.1

-56.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$73.3 CHF 58.2

-75.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$22.57 CHF 17.92

-78.16%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$2,842 CHF 2,256

-93.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$42.1K CHF 33.4K

-87.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$141 CHF 112

-73.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$46.15 CHF 36.64

-13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$130 CHF 103

-38.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$161 CHF 128

-44.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,282 CHF 1,018

-25.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,132 CHF 899

-57.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,273 CHF 1,805

-27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,868 CHF 1,483

-34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$9,844 CHF 7,815

-60.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$8,108 CHF 6,437

-20.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$7,948 CHF 6,310

-91.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

1.88

507.45%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Biel: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,282 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 1092% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $111 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $677 – 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 143%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,635 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 308% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,842 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 $1,271, than in Biel at $3,090. 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.