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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,519 per month in Brissago vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,370 per month in Brissago vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,222 per month in Brissago vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brissago costs about 180% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brissago sits 163% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.31 CHF 23.15

$11.95 MX$209

136.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$107 CHF 87.8

$41.94 MX$733

156.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.52 CHF 14.33

$10.42 MX$182

68.14%

Cappuccino

$5.91 CHF 4.83

$3.51 MX$61.4

68.38%

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

$4.93 CHF 4.03

$1.52 MX$26.50

224.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 CHF 3.77

$0.91 MX$15.91

406.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.52 CHF 6.97

$3.04 MX$53.1

180.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 CHF 4.96

$4.37 MX$76.4

38.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.76

$1.42 MX$24.84

51.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.67

$1.83 MX$32.00

78.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 CHF 3.50

$1.63 MX$28.57

162.58%

Eggs

$6.97 CHF 5.70

$2.54 MX$44.38

174.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.90 CHF 22.81

$8.57 MX$150

225.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.31 CHF 28.87

$8.49 MX$148

315.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.35 CHF 33.00

$10.80 MX$189

273.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CHF 2.86

$2.75 MX$48.14

27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 CHF 1.75

$1.44 MX$25.10

48.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.76 CHF 2.26

$1.89 MX$32.97

46.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.95 CHF 5.68

$2.17 MX$37.93

220.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.82

$1.78 MX$31.10

24.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$2.22 MX$38.87

-1.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.07

$1.07 MX$18.68

136.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CHF 0.93

$1.08 MX$18.87

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.18

$4.15 MX$72.5

170.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 CHF 10.25

$10.45 MX$183

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CHF 1.55

$1.74 MX$30.47

8.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.94

$2.58 MX$45.11

-8.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 CHF 3.25

$0.51 MX$8.97

680.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.2 CHF 80.3

$25.94 MX$453

278.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 CHF 6.42

$3.21 MX$56.1

144.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.26 CHF 3.48

$2.50 MX$43.73

70.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$92.2 CHF 75.4

$3.19 MX$55.7

2790.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.83

$1.26 MX$21.96

77.78%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.6K

$29.7K MX$518.8K

38.49%

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

$57.8K CHF 47.3K

$23.7K MX$413.9K

144.25%

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

$377 CHF 309

$82.0 MX$1,434

359.97%

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

$59.8 CHF 48.86

$22.73 MX$397

162.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 CHF 48.06

$29.42 MX$514

99.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.7 CHF 70.9

$52.2 MX$912

66.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

Cinema Ticket

$24.90 CHF 20.36

$4.93 MX$86.2

405.07%

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

$3,373 CHF 2,758

$202 MX$3,526

1571.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.3K CHF 33.0K

$5,217 MX$91.2K

672.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 125

$35.93 MX$628

325.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 CHF 55.7

$40.33 MX$705

69.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$172 CHF 141

$79.9 MX$1,396

115.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 151

$89.3 MX$1,561

106.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 CHF 1,386

$948 MX$16.6K

78.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CHF 1,194

$465 MX$8,132

213.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 CHF 2,290

$1,630 MX$28.5K

71.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CHF 2,015

$1,193 MX$20.8K

106.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.5K CHF 11.9K

$3,933 MX$68.7K

269.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.7K CHF 11.2K

$6,428 MX$112.3K

113.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.52

11.42

-77.93%

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

Last update for Brissago: July 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,695 in Brissago versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $107 in Brissago versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $631 vs $252 – making Playa del Carmen 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

Brissago vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,519 in Brissago, $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 180% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,278 per month in Brissago and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 150% more in Brissago, 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 $107 in Brissago and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Brissago at $3,519. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen to $3,519 in Brissago. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brissago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.