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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,003 in Mostar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Mostar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,927 in Mostar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 25% more than Mostar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mostar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mostar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.95 BAM 11.90

72.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$35.81 BAM 61.3

16.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.54 BAM 9.50

94.04%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.64 BAM 2.80

113.41%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.80 BAM 3.09

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.20 BAM 2.05

-26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.08 BAM 3.57

41.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.10 BAM 3.59

114.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.42 BAM 2.43

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.25 BAM 2.14

47.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.59 BAM 2.72

-1.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.81 BAM 4.81

-10.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$9.21 BAM 15.77

-10.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.23 BAM 12.39

16.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.88 BAM 20.35

-10.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.23 BAM 2.10

112.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.65 BAM 2.83

-12.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.85 BAM 3.17

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.73 BAM 2.96

20.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.85 BAM 1.46

117.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.75 BAM 1.28

189.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.92 BAM 1.57

11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.71 BAM 1.22

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.57 BAM 6.11

14.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$4.04 BAM 6.92

151.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.71 BAM 1.22

136.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.10 BAM 1.88

130.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.16 BAM 1.98

-56.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$34.13 BAM 58.5

-23.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.45 BAM 2.48

122.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.89 BAM 1.53

170.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.89 BAM 15.22

-63.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.43 BAM 2.45

-7.69%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.8K BAM 40.8K

24.58%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$26.4K BAM 45.3K

-10.52%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$121 BAM 208

-32.46%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$19.20 BAM 32.89

19.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$23.63 BAM 40.47

27.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$34.96 BAM 59.9

48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$11.57 BAM 19.81

60.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.83 BAM 8.27

3.11%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$155 BAM 265

27.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$3,298 BAM 5,649

61.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$74.0 BAM 127

-51.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$35.05 BAM 60.0

15.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$89.0 BAM 152

-11.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$121 BAM 207

-26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$260 BAM 444

264.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$279 BAM 477

70.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$440 BAM 753

273.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$313 BAM 537

286.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,321 BAM 3,976

74.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,624 BAM 2,782

298.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$884 BAM 1,514

-26.04%

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 Mostar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $260 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 35% 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 $206 – 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,003 in Mostar – roughly 25% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,504 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 $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $155 in Mostar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $1,003, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,003 in Mostar to $1,256 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.