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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,001 in Mostar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,475 in Mostar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,949 in Mostar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Mostar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mostar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mostar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.07 BAM 11.88

65.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.96 BAM 60.4

15.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.45 BAM 9.16

95.23%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.59 BAM 2.68

121.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$1.87 BAM 3.14

-19.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$1.16 BAM 1.95

-16.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.10 BAM 3.53

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.12 BAM 3.56

109.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.36 BAM 2.28

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.28 BAM 2.16

47.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.63 BAM 2.73

0.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.79 BAM 4.68

-10.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$9.26 BAM 15.57

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.52 BAM 12.64

10.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.93 BAM 20.05

-10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.28 BAM 2.15

103.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.66 BAM 2.78

-12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.86 BAM 3.12

2.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.73 BAM 2.90

20.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.78 BAM 1.31

128.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.74 BAM 1.25

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.98 BAM 1.65

6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.73 BAM 1.23

47.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.61 BAM 6.07

13.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$4.12 BAM 6.93

150.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$0.70 BAM 1.18

144.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.13 BAM 1.90

128.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.15 BAM 1.93

-55.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$34.06 BAM 57.2

-22.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.45 BAM 2.43

124.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.90 BAM 1.52

176.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.07 BAM 15.23

-64.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.43 BAM 2.40

-8.39%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$23.4K BAM 39.3K

29.56%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$26.1K BAM 43.9K

-10.25%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$125 BAM 210

-33.78%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.89 BAM 31.74

17.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.79 BAM 39.97

23.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$34.88 BAM 58.6

48.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$11.97 BAM 20.11

53.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.82 BAM 8.10

5.19%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$152 BAM 256

31.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,216 BAM 5,403

62.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$74.8 BAM 126

-50.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$34.58 BAM 58.1

15.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$90.9 BAM 153

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$117 BAM 196

-25.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$263 BAM 443

269.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$270 BAM 454

73.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$443 BAM 744

270.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$311 BAM 523

292.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,392 BAM 4,019

64.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,624 BAM 2,728

300.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$890 BAM 1,496

-25.43%

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 Mostar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $263 in Mostar. 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 34% higher in Mostar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.00 in Mostar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $208 – making Mostar 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 Mostar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,001 in Mostar – roughly 30% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,502 in Mostar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $152 in Mostar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mostar, where all-in costs run around $1,001, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Mostar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,001 in Mostar to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mostar. 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.