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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $983 in Bihac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,455 in Bihac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,927 in Bihac.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 28% more expensive than in Bihac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Bihac 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.26 BAM 12.43

65.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$29.94 BAM 51.3

39.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.57 BAM 9.53

93.00%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.20 BAM 2.06

191.67%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.15 BAM 1.96

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.89 BAM 1.52

-1.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.50 BAM 2.56

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.81 BAM 3.10

149.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.38 BAM 2.37

3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.05 BAM 1.80

75.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.30 BAM 3.95

-31.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.80 BAM 4.80

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.08 BAM 17.27

-17.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.41 BAM 12.69

13.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.20 BAM 19.18

-4.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.82 BAM 3.11

43.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.69 BAM 2.89

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.91 BAM 3.28

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.03 BAM 3.48

2.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.19 BAM 2.05

55.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.45 BAM 2.48

49.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.96 BAM 1.65

7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.91 BAM 1.56

17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.60 BAM 6.16

13.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.15 BAM 13.96

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.25 BAM 2.13

34.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.08 BAM 3.56

21.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.76 BAM 3.02

-71.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$35.05 BAM 60.0

-25.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.21 BAM 2.07

166.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.82 BAM 1.41

193.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.75 BAM 18.42

-69.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.48 BAM 2.54

-10.81%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.6K BAM 40.4K

25.78%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.9K BAM 44.3K

-8.60%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$205 BAM 350

-59.90%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$18.94 BAM 32.44

21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.90 BAM 37.51

37.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$29.93 BAM 51.3

73.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$10.82 BAM 18.53

71.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.71 BAM 9.77

-12.78%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$146 BAM 250

35.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,926 BAM 5,012

82.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$29.42 BAM 50.4

21.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$17.60 BAM 30.15

129.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$99.6 BAM 171

-20.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$118 BAM 202

-24.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$223 BAM 382

324.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$210 BAM 359

125.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$308 BAM 528

433.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$284 BAM 487

325.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,486 BAM 2,545

172.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,316 BAM 2,253

391.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$773 BAM 1,324

-15.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.14

175.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bihac: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $223 in Bihac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $30.00 in Bihac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $231 per month, with Bihac cheaper across the board.

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 Bihac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Bihac differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $983 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Bihac. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $223 in Bihac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bihac – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $983 in Bihac – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $983 in Bihac versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bihac but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bihac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Bihac are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bihac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.