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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,127 per month in Chur vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,106 per month in Chur vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,085 per month in Chur vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Chur costs about 141% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chur sits 133% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$30.26 CHFΒ 23.86
$11.73 MX$203
157.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.7 CHFΒ 77.8
$41.62 MX$720
137.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$16.12 CHFΒ 12.71
$10.64 MX$184
51.50%
Cappuccino
$5.94 CHFΒ 4.69
$3.52 MX$60.9
68.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 CHFΒ 3.50
$1.51 MX$26.12
194.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.40 CHFΒ 3.47
$0.97 MX$16.84
353.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.44 CHFΒ 5.87
$2.95 MX$51.0
152.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.44 CHFΒ 5.87
$4.45 MX$77.0
67.19%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 CHFΒ 1.76
$1.38 MX$23.93
61.59%
White Bread (500g)
$3.69 CHFΒ 2.91
$1.89 MX$32.72
95.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.24 CHFΒ 3.35
$1.64 MX$28.32
158.54%
Eggs
$7.71 CHFΒ 6.08
$2.51 MX$43.34
207.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$29.74 CHFΒ 23.45
$8.34 MX$144
256.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$34.86 CHFΒ 27.49
$8.34 MX$144
317.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$35.76 CHFΒ 28.19
$10.73 MX$186
233.27%
Apples (1kg)
$3.75 CHFΒ 2.95
$2.60 MX$45.04
44.23%
Banana (1kg)
$2.32 CHFΒ 1.83
$1.46 MX$25.20
58.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 CHFΒ 2.01
$1.90 MX$32.87
34.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.61 CHFΒ 4.42
$2.08 MX$35.91
169.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 CHFΒ 1.36
$1.78 MX$30.71
-3.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 CHFΒ 1.78
$2.19 MX$37.80
3.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 CHFΒ 1.79
$1.04 MX$17.99
118.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 CHFΒ 1.01
$1.08 MX$18.62
18.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.64 CHFΒ 8.38
$4.08 MX$70.6
160.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.84 CHFΒ 10.91
$10.32 MX$178
34.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 CHFΒ 1.97
$1.71 MX$29.61
46.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 CHFΒ 2.64
$2.58 MX$44.54
29.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.56 CHFΒ 4.39
$0.51 MX$8.81
990.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$191 CHFΒ 150
$26.46 MX$458
620.14%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.06 CHFΒ 6.36
$3.26 MX$56.4
147.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.34 CHFΒ 3.42
$2.49 MX$43.09
74.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.4 CHFΒ 48.40
$3.25 MX$56.2
1788.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.19 CHFΒ 1.73
$1.31 MX$22.61
67.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K CHFΒ 30.2K
$30.3K MX$523.7K
26.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K CHFΒ 28.7K
$23.4K MX$405.3K
55.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$249 CHFΒ 196
$82.9 MX$1,433
199.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.39 CHFΒ 19.23
$22.22 MX$384
9.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.80 CHFΒ 38.47
$29.34 MX$507
66.33%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$85.1 CHFΒ 67.1
$51.6 MX$893
64.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.06 CHFΒ 29.22
$18.32 MX$317
102.29%
Cinema Ticket
$21.75 CHFΒ 17.15
$5.07 MX$87.6
328.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,508 CHFΒ 1,977
$201 MX$3,473
1148.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$42.5K CHFΒ 33.5K
$5,212 MX$90.1K
716.23%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$136 CHFΒ 107
$36.92 MX$639
268.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.30 CHFΒ 29.41
$39.79 MX$688
-6.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$129 CHFΒ 102
$78.5 MX$1,357
65.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 CHFΒ 128
$87.1 MX$1,506
86.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,501 CHFΒ 1,183
$973 MX$16.8K
54.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,138 CHFΒ 897
$468 MX$8,090
143.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,915 CHFΒ 2,298
$1,641 MX$28.4K
77.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,546 CHFΒ 2,007
$1,221 MX$21.1K
108.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.2K CHFΒ 8,007
$3,946 MX$68.3K
157.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,375 CHFΒ 5,815
$6,498 MX$112.4K
13.51%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Chur
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,132 CHFΒ 5,623
$664 MX$11.5K
974.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2
11.42
-82.49%

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

Last update for Chur: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,501 in Chur versus $973 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.

Salaries run about 974% higher in Chur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Chur versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $630 vs $249 – 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
Chur vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chur and Playa del Carmen compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,127 in Chur, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 141% apart. Chur costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Chur compared to Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,691 per month in Chur and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chur and Playa del Carmen?
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.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Chur and Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $2,508 per month in Chur and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 153% more in Chur, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Chur at $3,127. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Chur and Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $3,127 in Chur. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Chur or Playa del Carmen safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Chur and Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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