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 $3,553 per month in Brissago vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,342 per month in Brissago vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,131 per month in Brissago vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Brissago sits 164% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.28 CHF 22.60

$11.87 MX$207

138.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 CHF 87.0

$42.90 MX$749

153.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.98 CHF 13.57

$10.65 MX$186

59.44%

Cappuccino

$5.84 CHF 4.67

$3.45 MX$60.2

69.28%

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

$4.95 CHF 3.96

$1.50 MX$26.24

230.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 CHF 3.82

$0.95 MX$16.56

403.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.35 CHF 6.67

$3.03 MX$52.8

175.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CHF 5.06

$4.61 MX$80.4

37.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$1.38 MX$24.01

59.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 CHF 2.72

$1.85 MX$32.24

83.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 CHF 3.31

$1.61 MX$28.11

157.14%

Eggs

$7.09 CHF 5.66

$2.59 MX$45.26

173.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.60 CHF 22.86

$8.26 MX$144

246.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.43 CHF 28.32

$8.37 MX$146

323.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.68 CHF 33.31

$10.66 MX$186

290.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 CHF 2.72

$2.63 MX$45.89

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 CHF 1.73

$1.49 MX$25.96

45.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 CHF 2.30

$1.92 MX$33.50

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 CHF 5.39

$2.09 MX$36.41

222.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.78

$1.86 MX$32.42

19.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 CHF 1.75

$2.26 MX$39.47

-3.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 CHF 1.94

$1.06 MX$18.54

128.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.92

$1.09 MX$18.98

5.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 CHF 9.12

$4.15 MX$72.4

175.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 CHF 10.13

$10.39 MX$181

21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 CHF 1.52

$1.72 MX$30.09

10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 CHF 1.85

$2.61 MX$45.60

-11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.90 CHF 3.11

$0.54 MX$9.46

622.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 80.3

$26.94 MX$470

272.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 CHF 6.58

$3.13 MX$54.6

162.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.39

$2.51 MX$43.82

68.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$93.9 CHF 75.1

$3.15 MX$55.0

2881.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.76

$1.27 MX$22.25

73.23%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.6K

$30.4K MX$530.1K

34.25%

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

$58.1K CHF 46.4K

$23.6K MX$411.3K

146.53%

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

$366 CHF 292

$83.0 MX$1,449

340.65%

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

$59.7 CHF 47.75

$22.71 MX$396

163.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.14

$29.46 MX$514

95.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.9 CHF 70.2

$51.0 MX$890

72.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$24.89 CHF 19.90

$4.93 MX$86.0

404.87%

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

$3,384 CHF 2,705

$197 MX$3,444

1615.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.1K CHF 32.0K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

659.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$154 CHF 123

$36.90 MX$644

316.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 CHF 54.2

$39.89 MX$696

69.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$173 CHF 138

$80.0 MX$1,396

116.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$186 CHF 149

$89.5 MX$1,561

107.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 CHF 1,379

$956 MX$16.7K

80.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,482 CHF 1,185

$477 MX$8,327

210.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,877 CHF 2,300

$1,646 MX$28.7K

74.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 CHF 2,005

$1,225 MX$21.4K

104.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.8K CHF 14.2K

$3,918 MX$68.4K

354.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,825

$6,459 MX$112.7K

90.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,725 in Brissago versus $956 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $638 vs $250 – 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: $3,553 in Brissago, $1,271 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 $5,330 per month in Brissago and $1,906 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 155% 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 $43.00 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 $1,271, than in Brissago at $3,553. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $3,553 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.