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 $3,439 per month in Brissago vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,269 per month in Brissago vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,099 per month in Brissago vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Brissago costs about 163% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Brissago sits 149% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.99 CHF 23.57

$11.96 MX$203

142.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$125 CHF 102

$47.38 MX$805

164.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.90 CHF 12.93

$11.75 MX$200

35.32%

Cappuccino

$7.03 CHF 5.71

$4.12 MX$70.0

70.63%

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

$6.48 CHF 5.27

$1.40 MX$23.77

362.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 CHF 5.83

$0.91 MX$15.50

686.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.00 CHF 7.32

$3.21 MX$54.5

180.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.12 CHF 6.61

$7.07 MX$120

14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.78

$1.68 MX$28.48

30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 CHF 2.53

$2.15 MX$36.53

45.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CHF 2.74

$1.77 MX$30.14

90.40%

Eggs

$7.84 CHF 6.37

$2.82 MX$47.82

178.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.38 CHF 20.63

$9.20 MX$156

175.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.91 CHF 24.32

$9.23 MX$157

224.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.53 CHF 32.14

$12.64 MX$215

212.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CHF 3.30

$2.95 MX$50.1

37.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.72

$1.58 MX$26.82

33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 CHF 2.20

$2.22 MX$37.76

22.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 CHF 3.86

$2.36 MX$40.14

100.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 CHF 1.37

$1.99 MX$33.85

-15.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.71

$1.98 MX$33.62

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 CHF 1.90

$1.24 MX$21.07

88.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 CHF 1.11

$1.21 MX$20.58

12.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CHF 9.34

$4.60 MX$78.2

149.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.43 CHF 10.11

$10.52 MX$179

18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$1.69 MX$28.74

31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 CHF 2.39

$2.77 MX$47.13

6.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 CHF 3.42

$0.60 MX$10.24

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 CHF 93.4

$29.70 MX$505

286.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.35 CHF 6.79

$5.24 MX$89.0

59.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.64 CHF 3.77

$3.65 MX$62.0

27.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$110 CHF 89.3

$5.78 MX$98.3

1800.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.40 CHF 1.95

$1.54 MX$26.13

55.84%

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

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

$22.8K MX$387.3K

90.39%

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

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

$25.8K MX$438.5K

57.86%

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

$284 CHF 231

$90.7 MX$1,540

213.60%

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

$28.87 CHF 23.48

$25.19 MX$428

14.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 CHF 46.46

$31.75 MX$539

79.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.3 CHF 65.3

$68.8 MX$1,169

16.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$51.5 CHF 41.83

$29.37 MX$499

75.18%

Cinema Ticket

$24.32 CHF 19.77

$4.86 MX$82.6

400.41%

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

$3,193 CHF 2,596

$226 MX$3,834

1314.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

$4,194 MX$71.2K

660.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 115

$47.38 MX$805

199.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.0 CHF 50.4

$43.45 MX$738

42.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$162 CHF 132

$80.2 MX$1,363

102.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 CHF 163

$91.4 MX$1,552

118.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,599 CHF 1,300

$1,086 MX$18.4K

47.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,439 CHF 1,170

$409 MX$6,942

252.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,039 CHF 2,471

$1,972 MX$33.5K

54.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,282 CHF 1,856

$1,281 MX$21.8K

78.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

$4,046 MX$68.7K

359.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K CHF 9,245

$6,704 MX$113.9K

69.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

11.45

-78.52%

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

Last update for Brissago: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,599 in Brissago versus $1,086 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 $125 in Brissago versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $587 vs $278 – 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: $3,439 in Brissago, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 163% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,158 per month in Brissago and $1,958 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 111% 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 $125 in Brissago and $47.00 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 $1,305, than in Brissago at $3,439. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $3,439 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.