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: $3,866 in Dubendorf versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,884 in Dubendorf versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,901 in Dubendorf versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 208% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dubendorf is 189% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.26 CHF 25.27

$11.99 MX$210

160.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$145 CHF 117

$41.78 MX$733

247.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.61 CHF 15.04

$10.75 MX$189

73.12%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 4.99

$3.50 MX$61.3

76.29%

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

$5.79 CHF 4.68

$1.45 MX$25.41

299.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CHF 4.19

$0.88 MX$15.52

488.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 CHF 6.01

$2.95 MX$51.7

152.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CHF 5.79

$4.51 MX$79.1

58.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$1.43 MX$25.12

58.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 CHF 2.65

$1.84 MX$32.23

77.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.33

$1.57 MX$27.51

162.42%

Eggs

$7.49 CHF 6.05

$2.51 MX$44.06

198.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.48 CHF 23.84

$8.28 MX$145

256.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.92 CHF 25.81

$8.43 MX$148

278.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 40.73

$10.68 MX$187

371.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 CHF 2.60

$2.61 MX$45.76

23.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 CHF 2.28

$1.44 MX$25.22

95.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 CHF 2.54

$1.96 MX$34.41

60.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.28 CHF 5.88

$2.09 MX$36.74

248.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 CHF 2.22

$1.85 MX$32.47

48.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 CHF 1.88

$2.17 MX$38.02

7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.06

$1.03 MX$18.09

147.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CHF 1.38

$1.07 MX$18.84

59.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.22 CHF 9.07

$4.10 MX$72.0

173.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 CHF 10.72

$10.17 MX$178

30.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 CHF 1.81

$1.68 MX$29.38

32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CHF 2.41

$2.53 MX$44.31

17.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.76 CHF 6.27

$0.51 MX$8.93

1421.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$124 CHF 100

$26.04 MX$457

376.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.58 CHF 5.32

$3.23 MX$56.7

103.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.24 CHF 3.43

$2.41 MX$42.19

75.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.3 CHF 64.1

$3.23 MX$56.6

2355.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.27 CHF 1.83

$1.32 MX$23.17

71.97%

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

$41.2K CHF 33.3K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

38.75%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

69.10%

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

$260 CHF 210

$82.0 MX$1,439

217.38%

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

$35.31 CHF 28.55

$22.95 MX$403

53.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 CHF 42.19

$30.11 MX$528

73.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 CHF 70.3

$52.0 MX$912

67.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.7 CHF 45.04

$18.53 MX$325

200.65%

Cinema Ticket

$24.42 CHF 19.74

$4.98 MX$87.3

390.36%

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

$2,732 CHF 2,209

$197 MX$3,463

1283.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.8K CHF 31.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

626.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$146 CHF 118

$35.60 MX$624

308.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.0 CHF 53.3

$40.33 MX$707

63.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 CHF 118

$78.8 MX$1,381

85.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$198 CHF 160

$88.9 MX$1,560

122.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 CHF 1,521

$947 MX$16.6K

98.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,830 CHF 1,479

$474 MX$8,314

286.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 CHF 2,169

$1,644 MX$28.8K

63.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,936 CHF 2,373

$1,211 MX$21.2K

142.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.8K CHF 12.7K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

288.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.6K CHF 10.2K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

95.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,977 CHF 3,215

$654 MX$11.5K

508.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.42

-78.11%

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

Last update for Dubendorf: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Dubendorf and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 508% 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: $145 in Dubendorf vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $670 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

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

Dubendorf and Playa del Carmen differ by about 208% in total monthly costs ($3,866 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 508% 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: $1,882 in Dubendorf versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,866 per month in Dubendorf versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 208% 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 377% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,866 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 208% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.