Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Biel

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $2,841 in Biel, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Biel
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Biel Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Biel

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$2,841

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Biel

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Biel actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,841 in Biel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Biel $2,841

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,464 in Biel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Biel $4,464

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $6,086 in Biel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Biel $6,086

Playa del Carmen is about 58% cheaper than Biel, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Biel is 109% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$203

$29.78 CHF 24.65

-63.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$808

$110 CHF 90.9

-60.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$219

$18.20 CHF 15.07

-35.27%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.0

$6.18 CHF 5.12

-38.35%

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

$1.28 MX$23.89

$5.19 CHF 4.30

-75.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.58

$4.34 CHF 3.59

-82.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.0

$7.97 CHF 6.60

-60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$91.9

$4.80 CHF 3.97

2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.20

$2.19 CHF 1.82

-35.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.30

$4.04 CHF 3.34

-45.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.40

$3.17 CHF 2.63

-55.21%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.00

$7.29 CHF 6.04

-65.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$135

$22.06 CHF 18.26

-67.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$143

$27.61 CHF 22.86

-72.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$236

$39.54 CHF 32.74

-67.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$51.9

$3.19 CHF 2.64

-12.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.49

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-35.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.52

$2.49 CHF 2.06

2.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.55

$3.18 CHF 2.64

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.11

$1.49 CHF 1.23

30.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.13

$1.78 CHF 1.48

6.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.36

$2.04 CHF 1.69

-43.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$21.96

$1.06 CHF 0.88

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.0

$11.07 CHF 9.16

-61.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$185

$15.28 CHF 12.65

-34.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.50

$0.94 CHF 0.77

68.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$49.76

$1.77 CHF 1.47

50.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.31

$4.80 CHF 3.97

-88.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$496

$94.7 CHF 78.4

-71.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$92.6

$7.91 CHF 6.55

-37.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.1

$4.65 CHF 3.85

-28.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$99.8

$85.5 CHF 70.8

-93.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$26.90

$2.21 CHF 1.83

-34.84%

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

$20.7K MX$385.0K

$39.7K CHF 32.8K

-47.91%

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

$23.5K MX$437.2K

$34.3K CHF 28.4K

-31.66%

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

$84.8 MX$1,580

$134 CHF 111

-36.95%

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

$23.41 MX$436

$35.35 CHF 29.27

-33.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$534

$51.5 CHF 42.65

-44.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,063

$75.5 CHF 62.5

-24.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$539

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$95.7

$22.03 CHF 18.24

-76.67%

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

$207 MX$3,848

$2,676 CHF 2,215

-92.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.2K

$36.5K CHF 30.3K

-89.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$808

$107 CHF 88.3

-59.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$772

$40.85 CHF 33.82

1.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,382

$138 CHF 114

-46.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,663

$220 CHF 182

-59.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.2K

$1,231 CHF 1,019

-20.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,095

$1,124 CHF 930

-66.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$31.8K

$2,248 CHF 1,861

-24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.0K

$2,007 CHF 1,662

-46.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$73.5K

$9,720 CHF 8,047

-59.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$114.7K

$7,717 CHF 6,389

-20.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.7K

$5,640 CHF 4,669

-86.98%

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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Biel: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Biel

$1.1K 39.6% 195% $743

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Biel

$549 19.3% 116% $295

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Biel

$455 16% 125% $252

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Biel

$221 7.8% 61.7% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Biel

$228 8% 104% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Biel

$120 4.2% 77.7% $52

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Biel

$145 5.1% 188% $95

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,231 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 in Biel are about 7.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $110 in Biel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $549 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇨🇭 Biel

🕒 Local time

00:26 12:26 AM

06:26 6:26 AM

6 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

56,378

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.09 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.922 CHF (1 CHF = 1.09 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Playa del Carmen Biel 8,660 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Biel

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 136%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $4,262 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $980 there versus $1,231 in Biel.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,676 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 $1,204, than in Biel at $2,841. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Biel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.