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: $3,379 in Buchs versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,057 in Buchs versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,734 in Buchs versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Buchs is roughly 168% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buchs is 153% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.39 CHF 23.93

$11.95 MX$208

145.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$131 CHF 106

$41.94 MX$730

211.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 CHF 9.68

$10.42 MX$181

14.11%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CHF 2.91

$3.51 MX$61.2

1.71%

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

$2.52 CHF 2.05

$1.52 MX$26.39

65.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 CHF 1.70

$0.91 MX$15.84

129.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 CHF 3.66

$3.04 MX$52.9

48.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CHF 4.26

$4.37 MX$76.1

19.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 CHF 1.42

$1.42 MX$24.73

23.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 CHF 2.47

$1.83 MX$31.87

65.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 CHF 3.43

$1.63 MX$28.45

158.90%

Eggs

$5.07 CHF 4.12

$2.54 MX$44.20

99.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.56 CHF 24.88

$8.57 MX$149

256.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.87 CHF 12.11

$8.49 MX$148

75.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.6 CHF 41.17

$10.80 MX$188

368.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 CHF 3.10

$2.75 MX$47.94

38.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 CHF 1.66

$1.44 MX$25.00

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.32

$1.89 MX$32.83

50.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.46 CHF 5.26

$2.17 MX$37.77

197.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$1.78 MX$30.97

34.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$2.22 MX$38.71

7.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CHF 2.18

$1.07 MX$18.60

150.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 CHF 1.04

$1.08 MX$18.79

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.24 CHF 9.15

$4.15 MX$72.2

170.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.88 CHF 10.48

$10.45 MX$182

23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 CHF 1.94

$1.74 MX$30.34

37.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.69

$2.58 MX$44.92

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 CHF 2.04

$0.51 MX$8.94

390.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.1 CHF 70.9

$25.94 MX$451

235.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 CHF 6.46

$3.21 MX$55.9

147.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 CHF 2.89

$2.50 MX$43.55

42.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$89.5 CHF 72.8

$3.19 MX$55.4

2704.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.73

$1.26 MX$21.87

68.25%

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

$31.3K CHF 25.5K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

5.28%

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

$42.9K CHF 35.0K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

81.27%

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

$183 CHF 149

$82.0 MX$1,427

123.05%

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

$43.01 CHF 35.02

$22.73 MX$395

89.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 CHF 45.32

$29.42 MX$512

89.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$146 CHF 119

$52.2 MX$908

180.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.33 CHF 14.11

$18.45 MX$321

-6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 CHF 12.01

$4.93 MX$85.9

199.19%

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

$2,961 CHF 2,411

$202 MX$3,511

1367.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.9K CHF 26.8K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

530.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$141 CHF 115

$35.93 MX$625

292.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.1 CHF 62.7

$40.33 MX$702

91.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$133 CHF 109

$79.9 MX$1,390

66.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 129

$89.3 MX$1,554

77.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,850 CHF 1,506

$948 MX$16.5K

95.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 CHF 1,293

$465 MX$8,097

241.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,744 CHF 2,234

$1,630 MX$28.4K

68.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 2,032

$1,193 MX$20.8K

109.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,815 CHF 7,177

$658 MX$11.5K

1239.16%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,850 in Buchs and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1239% 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: $131 in Buchs vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $560 vs $252 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 168% in total monthly costs ($3,379 vs $1,259 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1239% 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: $1,850 in Buchs versus $948 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 $131 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,379 per month in Buchs versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 168% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,379 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 168% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.