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: $3,393 in Buchs versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,946 in Buchs versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,499 in Buchs versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Buchs is roughly 169% more expensive than 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

$29.66 CHF 23.25

$11.67 MX$202

154.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CHF 84.5

$41.88 MX$726

157.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 CHF 9.02

$10.40 MX$180

10.58%

Cappuccino

$3.57 CHF 2.80

$3.61 MX$62.6

-1.11%

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

$2.47 CHF 1.94

$1.47 MX$25.45

68.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CHF 1.63

$0.91 MX$15.80

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 CHF 3.68

$3.03 MX$52.6

54.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.23 CHF 4.10

$4.47 MX$77.4

17.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 CHF 1.37

$1.38 MX$23.83

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 CHF 2.46

$1.84 MX$31.93

70.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.07 CHF 3.19

$1.61 MX$27.82

152.80%

Eggs

$4.89 CHF 3.83

$2.57 MX$44.52

90.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.23 CHF 23.70

$8.49 MX$147

256.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.82 CHF 11.62

$8.49 MX$147

74.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.8 CHF 40.60

$10.99 MX$190

371.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 CHF 2.93

$2.73 MX$47.25

36.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.62

$1.50 MX$25.92

38.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 CHF 2.33

$1.96 MX$33.93

52.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 CHF 4.87

$2.12 MX$36.70

192.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.87

$1.86 MX$32.30

27.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.92

$2.17 MX$37.67

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CHF 2.01

$1.07 MX$18.59

139.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 0.97

$1.05 MX$18.18

17.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.21 CHF 8.79

$4.19 MX$72.6

167.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 CHF 10.79

$10.28 MX$178

33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$1.67 MX$28.87

45.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 CHF 2.62

$2.49 MX$43.12

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CHF 1.91

$0.54 MX$9.37

351.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 CHF 68.5

$26.27 MX$455

232.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 CHF 6.42

$3.10 MX$53.8

164.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.37 CHF 2.64

$2.46 MX$42.66

36.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 69.4

$3.24 MX$56.1

2630.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.70

$1.26 MX$21.83

72.22%

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

$30.8K CHF 24.2K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

2.18%

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

$42.3K CHF 33.1K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

80.30%

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

$185 CHF 145

$84.0 MX$1,456

120.42%

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

$42.34 CHF 33.20

$22.21 MX$385

90.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.5 CHF 44.31

$29.65 MX$514

90.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$147 CHF 116

$52.6 MX$912

180.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 CHF 13.63

$18.34 MX$318

-5.18%

Cinema Ticket

$14.99 CHF 11.75

$4.95 MX$85.7

202.83%

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

$2,868 CHF 2,249

$198 MX$3,438

1345.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.5K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

535.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 108

$35.95 MX$623

282.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.5 CHF 59.2

$40.06 MX$694

88.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 105

$78.8 MX$1,365

70.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 CHF 127

$86.5 MX$1,499

86.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 CHF 1,442

$977 MX$16.9K

88.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 CHF 1,252

$471 MX$8,158

239.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 CHF 2,165

$1,595 MX$27.6K

73.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 CHF 1,903

$1,215 MX$21.1K

99.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,225 CHF 7,233

$714 MX$12.4K

1191.76%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,839 in Buchs and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1192% 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: $108 in Buchs vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $562 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 169% in total monthly costs ($3,393 vs $1,261 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buchs pays 1192% 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: $1,839 in Buchs versus $977 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 $108 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,393 per month in Buchs versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 169% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,393 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 169% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.