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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $999 in Bihac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,440 in Bihac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,880 in Bihac.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 30% more expensive than Bihac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Bihac 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.88 BAM 11.57

70.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$29.91 BAM 50.3

39.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.76 BAM 9.68

84.72%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.16 BAM 1.94

203.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.16 BAM 1.94

30.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.86 BAM 1.44

12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.50 BAM 2.52

96.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$1.74 BAM 2.92

155.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.34 BAM 2.24

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.11 BAM 1.87

70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.38 BAM 4.01

-31.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.87 BAM 4.83

-12.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.16 BAM 17.06

-17.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.32 BAM 12.30

13.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.57 BAM 19.44

-7.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.74 BAM 2.92

49.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.61 BAM 2.71

-9.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.90 BAM 3.20

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.07 BAM 3.48

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.15 BAM 1.93

54.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.44 BAM 2.42

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.92 BAM 1.54

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.86 BAM 1.45

25.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.50 BAM 5.88

16.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$8.36 BAM 14.04

23.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.25 BAM 2.10

36.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.01 BAM 3.38

28.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.81 BAM 3.05

-71.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$35.05 BAM 58.9

-24.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.20 BAM 2.02

171.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.77 BAM 1.30

223.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$10.75 BAM 18.06

-69.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.49 BAM 2.51

-12.08%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.7K BAM 39.9K

27.52%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.2K BAM 44.0K

-10.59%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$210 BAM 352

-60.44%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$19.23 BAM 32.30

15.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$21.97 BAM 36.92

33.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$29.75 BAM 49.97

73.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.88 BAM 18.28

68.38%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.55 BAM 9.32

-8.65%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$150 BAM 251

34.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,937 BAM 4,935

77.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$29.33 BAM 49.28

25.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$17.54 BAM 29.46

126.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$98.5 BAM 166

-20.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$118 BAM 198

-25.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$222 BAM 372

339.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$206 BAM 347

126.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$308 BAM 518

432.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$280 BAM 471

335.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,492 BAM 2,507

164.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,326 BAM 2,228

389.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$806 BAM 1,354

-17.60%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bihac: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $222 in Bihac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bihac pays 21% 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $999 including rent). Bihac is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bihac earns 21% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $222 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $999 in Bihac – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $999 in Bihac versus $1,297 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 30% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.