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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,867 in Dubendorf versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,690 in Dubendorf versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Dubendorf versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 199% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dubendorf is 181% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.67 CHF 24.94

$11.71 MX$199

161.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 CHF 98.6

$46.59 MX$791

160.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.54 CHF 13.45

$11.65 MX$198

41.97%

Cappuccino

$6.21 CHF 5.05

$4.09 MX$69.5

51.83%

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

$5.47 CHF 4.45

$1.37 MX$23.34

299.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 CHF 4.01

$0.83 MX$14.16

495.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.60 CHF 7.00

$3.35 MX$56.9

156.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 CHF 5.45

$6.91 MX$117

-2.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CHF 1.78

$1.73 MX$29.33

26.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.90 CHF 3.17

$2.26 MX$38.39

72.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 CHF 3.82

$1.77 MX$30.05

165.54%

Eggs

$7.61 CHF 6.18

$2.73 MX$46.41

178.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$33.49 CHF 27.22

$9.18 MX$156

264.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$27.04 CHF 21.99

$8.92 MX$151

203.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.16 CHF 35.09

$12.60 MX$214

242.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.89

$3.02 MX$51.3

17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 CHF 1.87

$1.57 MX$26.68

46.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 CHF 2.72

$2.13 MX$36.10

56.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.91 CHF 5.62

$2.26 MX$38.46

205.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 CHF 2.03

$2.00 MX$34.04

24.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$2.06 MX$35.06

7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 CHF 2.09

$1.18 MX$20.04

117.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 CHF 1.18

$1.20 MX$20.45

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.92

$4.63 MX$78.7

136.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 CHF 10.90

$10.69 MX$182

25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 CHF 1.81

$1.62 MX$27.50

37.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 CHF 2.28

$2.88 MX$48.93

-2.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 CHF 2.02

$0.57 MX$9.74

336.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 CHF 40.65

$29.83 MX$507

67.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 CHF 4.41

$5.45 MX$92.5

-0.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 CHF 2.76

$3.70 MX$62.9

-8.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.7 CHF 50.2

$5.98 MX$102

932.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.80

$1.55 MX$26.38

43.23%

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

$42.9K CHF 34.8K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

91.98%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

52.89%

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

$233 CHF 190

$89.1 MX$1,514

161.97%

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

$32.72 CHF 26.60

$25.04 MX$425

30.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 CHF 54.5

$31.50 MX$535

112.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 CHF 100

$67.8 MX$1,151

82.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$80.3 CHF 65.2

$28.92 MX$491

177.49%

Cinema Ticket

$24.97 CHF 20.30

$5.05 MX$85.8

394.46%

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

$1,881 CHF 1,529

$225 MX$3,820

736.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.8K CHF 26.7K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

676.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$144 CHF 117

$47.44 MX$806

204.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$88.2 CHF 71.7

$44.98 MX$764

96.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 122

$82.0 MX$1,392

83.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$177 CHF 144

$92.1 MX$1,564

92.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CHF 1,512

$1,069 MX$18.2K

73.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 CHF 1,532

$405 MX$6,884

364.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,911 CHF 2,366

$1,935 MX$32.9K

50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,875 CHF 2,337

$1,301 MX$22.1K

120.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 9,988

$3,995 MX$67.9K

207.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,334 CHF 5,962

$6,626 MX$112.5K

10.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,921 CHF 3,188

$749 MX$12.7K

423.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.48

11.45

-78.34%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,860 in Dubendorf and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 424% 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: $121 in Dubendorf vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $638 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

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

Dubendorf and Playa del Carmen differ by about 199% in total monthly costs ($3,867 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 424% higher in Dubendorf, 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: $1,860 in Dubendorf versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,867 per month in Dubendorf versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 199% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 68% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,867 in Dubendorf, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dubendorf. 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, Dubendorf 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 199% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.