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: $3,289 in Buchs versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,945 in Buchs versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,600 in Buchs versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Buchs is roughly 154% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buchs is 145% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.59 CHF 23.57

$11.73 MX$205

152.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$105 CHF 83.6

$41.62 MX$727

152.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 CHF 9.22

$10.64 MX$186

8.74%

Cappuccino

$3.44 CHF 2.74

$3.52 MX$61.5

-2.27%

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

$2.51 CHF 2.00

$1.51 MX$26.37

66.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CHF 1.58

$0.97 MX$17.00

104.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 CHF 3.60

$2.95 MX$51.5

52.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 CHF 4.17

$4.45 MX$77.8

17.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 CHF 1.35

$1.38 MX$24.16

22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 CHF 2.40

$1.89 MX$33.04

59.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.21

$1.64 MX$28.59

146.34%

Eggs

$4.83 CHF 3.85

$2.51 MX$43.76

92.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.94 CHF 24.64

$8.34 MX$146

270.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 CHF 11.87

$8.34 MX$146

78.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.6 CHF 40.33

$10.73 MX$187

371.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.86

$2.60 MX$45.48

38.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.68

$1.46 MX$25.45

44.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CHF 2.34

$1.90 MX$33.19

54.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 CHF 4.90

$2.08 MX$36.26

195.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.93

$1.78 MX$31.01

36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.92

$2.19 MX$38.16

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 CHF 2.15

$1.04 MX$18.16

159.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.02

$1.08 MX$18.80

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 CHF 8.82

$4.08 MX$71.3

171.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 CHF 11.28

$10.32 MX$180

37.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.93

$1.71 MX$29.90

41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 CHF 2.73

$2.58 MX$44.98

32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CHF 1.99

$0.51 MX$8.90

388.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 CHF 68.6

$26.46 MX$462

225.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 CHF 6.30

$3.26 MX$57.0

142.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 CHF 2.79

$2.49 MX$43.51

40.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.3 CHF 71.1

$3.25 MX$56.7

2646.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.73

$1.31 MX$22.83

65.65%

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

$30.4K CHF 24.2K

$30.3K MX$528.8K

0.32%

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

$42.2K CHF 33.6K

$23.4K MX$409.2K

80.16%

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

$185 CHF 147

$82.9 MX$1,447

123.02%

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

$42.94 CHF 34.20

$22.22 MX$388

93.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 CHF 44.14

$29.34 MX$512

88.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$150 CHF 119

$51.6 MX$902

190.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.44 CHF 13.89

$18.32 MX$320

-4.80%

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 CHF 11.61

$5.07 MX$88.5

187.38%

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

$2,906 CHF 2,315

$201 MX$3,507

1347.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K CHF 26.8K

$5,212 MX$91.0K

546.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 109

$36.92 MX$645

269.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.5 CHF 62.6

$39.79 MX$695

97.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 106

$78.5 MX$1,370

70.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 129

$87.1 MX$1,521

85.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 CHF 1,452

$973 MX$17.0K

87.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 CHF 1,255

$468 MX$8,169

236.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 CHF 2,218

$1,641 MX$28.7K

69.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 CHF 1,983

$1,221 MX$21.3K

103.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,109 CHF 7,256

$664 MX$11.6K

1272.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-82.49%

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

Last update for Buchs: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,823 in Buchs and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1272% 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: $105 in Buchs vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 vs $249 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 154% in total monthly costs ($3,289 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buchs pays 1272% more on average, 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: $1,823 in Buchs versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $105 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,289 per month in Buchs versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,289 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 154% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.