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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,131 in Buchs versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,705 in Buchs versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,279 in Buchs versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Buchs is roughly 142% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buchs is 128% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.41 CHF 19.75

$11.71 MX$198

108.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.8 CHF 71.0

$46.59 MX$786

88.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.70 CHF 12.70

$11.65 MX$197

34.76%

Cappuccino

$4.65 CHF 3.77

$4.09 MX$69.1

13.69%

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

$3.99 CHF 3.23

$1.37 MX$23.20

191.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CHF 2.64

$0.83 MX$14.07

292.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.22 CHF 5.03

$3.35 MX$56.6

85.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 CHF 4.52

$6.91 MX$117

-19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CHF 1.66

$1.73 MX$29.15

19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 CHF 3.26

$2.26 MX$38.15

78.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.80

$1.77 MX$29.86

165.54%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.06

$2.73 MX$46.12

174.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.16 CHF 26.83

$9.18 MX$155

261.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.51 CHF 14.97

$8.92 MX$151

107.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.43 CHF 27.05

$12.60 MX$213

165.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 CHF 2.83

$3.02 MX$51.0

15.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 CHF 1.86

$1.57 MX$26.51

45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 CHF 2.61

$2.13 MX$35.88

51.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.98 CHF 5.65

$2.26 MX$38.22

208.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CHF 1.46

$2.00 MX$33.82

-9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.17

$2.06 MX$34.85

30.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CHF 2.11

$1.18 MX$19.91

121.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 CHF 1.00

$1.20 MX$20.32

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.09

$4.63 MX$78.2

142.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.38 CHF 10.83

$10.69 MX$180

25.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.56

$1.62 MX$27.33

95.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 CHF 3.24

$2.88 MX$48.63

38.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.16 CHF 4.18

$0.57 MX$9.68

805.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.56 CHF 4.50

$5.45 MX$91.9

2.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 CHF 2.79

$3.70 MX$62.5

-6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.9 CHF 49.28

$5.98 MX$101

918.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 CHF 1.86

$1.55 MX$26.22

47.74%

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

$43.4K CHF 35.1K

$22.3K MX$376.8K

94.54%

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

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

$25.9K MX$438.0K

56.60%

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

$183 CHF 148

$89.1 MX$1,504

105.61%

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

$32.10 CHF 25.97

$25.04 MX$423

28.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 CHF 55.9

$31.50 MX$532

119.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 CHF 12.71

$5.05 MX$85.2

211.09%

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

$620 CHF 501

$225 MX$3,797

175.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K CHF 16.9K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

394.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 CHF 89.5

$47.44 MX$801

133.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.98 CHF 20.21

$44.98 MX$759

-44.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 CHF 80.1

$82.0 MX$1,384

20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$175 CHF 141

$92.1 MX$1,555

89.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CHF 1,478

$1,069 MX$18.0K

70.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 CHF 1,313

$405 MX$6,842

300.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,796 CHF 2,262

$1,935 MX$32.7K

44.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,828 CHF 2,288

$1,301 MX$22.0K

117.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,717 CHF 7,052

$749 MX$12.6K

1064.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.93

11.45

-83.14%

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

Last update for Buchs: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,827 in Buchs and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1064% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $88.0 in Buchs vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $568 vs $277 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Buchs and Playa del Carmen differ by about 142% in total monthly costs ($3,131 vs $1,293 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1064% higher in Buchs, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,827 in Buchs versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $620 in Buchs versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $88.0 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,131 in Buchs, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Buchs. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Buchs and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.