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 $3,576 per month in Brissago vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,334 per month in Brissago vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,092 per month in Brissago vs $2,999 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brissago costs about 184% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brissago sits 167% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.74 CHF 21.74

$11.67 MX$202

137.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 85.4

$41.88 MX$726

160.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.49 CHF 13.71

$10.40 MX$180

68.17%

Cappuccino

$5.87 CHF 4.60

$3.61 MX$62.6

62.60%

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

$4.81 CHF 3.77

$1.47 MX$25.45

227.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 CHF 3.74

$0.91 MX$15.80

424.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 CHF 6.34

$3.03 MX$52.6

167.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 CHF 4.81

$4.47 MX$77.4

37.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.70

$1.38 MX$23.83

57.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CHF 2.66

$1.84 MX$31.93

84.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 CHF 3.32

$1.61 MX$27.82

163.35%

Eggs

$7.11 CHF 5.58

$2.57 MX$44.52

176.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.31 CHF 22.20

$8.49 MX$147

233.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.91 CHF 28.16

$8.49 MX$147

322.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.48 CHF 31.73

$10.99 MX$190

268.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CHF 2.73

$2.73 MX$47.25

27.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.50 MX$25.92

43.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.26

$1.96 MX$33.93

47.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.89 CHF 5.40

$2.12 MX$36.70

225.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$1.86 MX$32.30

20.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 CHF 1.76

$2.17 MX$37.67

3.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CHF 1.90

$1.07 MX$18.59

126.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 CHF 0.86

$1.05 MX$18.18

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.39 CHF 8.93

$4.19 MX$72.6

171.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 CHF 9.96

$10.28 MX$178

23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 CHF 1.53

$1.67 MX$28.87

17.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.83

$2.49 MX$43.12

-6.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.93 CHF 3.08

$0.54 MX$9.37

627.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 CHF 77.6

$26.27 MX$455

276.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 CHF 6.34

$3.10 MX$53.8

160.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.32 CHF 3.39

$2.46 MX$42.66

75.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$91.7 CHF 71.9

$3.24 MX$56.1

2729.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.75

$1.26 MX$21.83

76.98%

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

$40.6K CHF 31.8K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

34.60%

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

$57.0K CHF 44.7K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

143.05%

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

$369 CHF 290

$84.0 MX$1,456

339.85%

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

$58.8 CHF 46.09

$22.21 MX$385

164.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.54

$29.65 MX$514

95.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 CHF 68.4

$52.6 MX$912

65.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$24.20 CHF 18.97

$4.95 MX$85.7

388.89%

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

$3,287 CHF 2,577

$198 MX$3,438

1557.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

649.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$153 CHF 120

$35.95 MX$623

326.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.7 CHF 53.8

$40.06 MX$694

71.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 CHF 139

$78.8 MX$1,365

124.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$187 CHF 147

$86.5 MX$1,499

116.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 CHF 1,343

$977 MX$16.9K

75.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 CHF 1,169

$471 MX$8,158

216.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,788 CHF 2,185

$1,595 MX$27.6K

74.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,495 CHF 1,956

$1,215 MX$21.1K

105.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,677

$4,032 MX$69.9K

206.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.9K CHF 9,357

$6,579 MX$114.0K

81.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,713 in Brissago versus $977 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 $109 in Brissago versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $637 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: $3,576 in Brissago, $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 184% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,364 per month in Brissago and $1,891 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 153% 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 $109 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 $1,261, than in Brissago at $3,576. 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen to $3,576 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.