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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $840 in Doboj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,297 in Doboj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,754 in Doboj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Doboj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Doboj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Doboj 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.38 BAM 9.22

122.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$32.22 BAM 55.2

29.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.86 BAM 10.04

83.45%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.44 BAM 2.47

143.06%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.30 BAM 2.23

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.97 BAM 1.66

-9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.44 BAM 2.46

104.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.42 BAM 2.43

217.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.33 BAM 2.28

7.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.01 BAM 1.74

82.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.21 BAM 2.07

29.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.73 BAM 4.68

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$2.42 BAM 4.15

242.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.67 BAM 13.14

9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.73 BAM 14.96

22.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.45 BAM 2.49

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.46 BAM 2.50

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.34 BAM 2.29

46.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.41 BAM 2.41

48.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.01 BAM 1.74

83.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.20 BAM 2.05

80.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.36 BAM 0.62

186.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.74 BAM 1.27

44.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.56 BAM 6.10

15.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.88 BAM 11.78

47.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.04 BAM 1.79

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.26 BAM 2.15

100.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.78 BAM 3.05

-71.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$52.9 BAM 90.5

-50.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.93 BAM 1.58

247.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.65 BAM 1.12

270.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.82 BAM 9.96

-44.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.52 BAM 2.60

-13.16%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$21.6K BAM 37.0K

37.63%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.2K BAM 44.8K

-9.54%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$164 BAM 281

-50.03%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$5.89 BAM 10.08

289.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$29.33 BAM 50.2

2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.86 BAM 40.87

117.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$11.94 BAM 20.44

55.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.76 BAM 9.86

-13.54%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$120 BAM 205

65.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,369 BAM 5,770

58.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$47.70 BAM 81.7

-25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.56 BAM 60.9

13.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$88.0 BAM 151

-10.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$101 BAM 173

-12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$197 BAM 337

381.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$163 BAM 279

190.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$333 BAM 570

394.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$320 BAM 549

277.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,307 BAM 2,238

210.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,777 BAM 3,043

264.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$527 BAM 902

24.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.8

200.53%

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 Doboj: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $197 in Doboj. 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 24% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $32.00 in Doboj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $177 – making Doboj 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 Doboj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,260 in Doboj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 41% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $32.00 in Doboj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Doboj, where all-in costs run around $840, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Doboj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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