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: $3,974 in Dubendorf versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,958 in Dubendorf versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,942 in Dubendorf versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dubendorf is roughly 206% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dubendorf is 197% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.79 CHF 24.27

$11.73 MX$203

162.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 119

$41.62 MX$720

261.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.42 CHF 14.52

$10.64 MX$184

73.12%

Cappuccino

$6.38 CHF 5.03

$3.52 MX$60.9

81.25%

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

$5.85 CHF 4.61

$1.51 MX$26.12

287.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.40 CHF 4.25

$0.97 MX$16.84

456.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.41 CHF 5.85

$2.95 MX$51.0

151.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 CHF 5.51

$4.45 MX$77.0

57.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CHF 1.69

$1.38 MX$23.93

55.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 CHF 2.57

$1.89 MX$32.72

72.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.22

$1.64 MX$28.32

148.78%

Eggs

$7.26 CHF 5.72

$2.51 MX$43.34

189.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.29 CHF 23.09

$8.34 MX$144

251.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$31.91 CHF 25.16

$8.34 MX$144

282.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$49.09 CHF 38.70

$10.73 MX$186

357.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 CHF 2.50

$2.60 MX$45.04

22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.81 CHF 2.21

$1.46 MX$25.20

92.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 CHF 2.43

$1.90 MX$32.87

62.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 CHF 5.59

$2.08 MX$35.91

240.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 CHF 2.19

$1.78 MX$30.71

56.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CHF 1.79

$2.19 MX$37.80

3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CHF 2.01

$1.04 MX$17.99

145.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CHF 1.37

$1.08 MX$18.62

60.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.01 CHF 8.68

$4.08 MX$70.6

169.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 CHF 12.22

$10.32 MX$178

50.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 CHF 1.76

$1.71 MX$29.61

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 CHF 2.32

$2.58 MX$44.54

14.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.71 CHF 6.08

$0.51 MX$8.81

1411.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$123 CHF 97.1

$26.46 MX$458

365.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 CHF 5.42

$3.26 MX$56.4

110.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.25 CHF 3.35

$2.49 MX$43.09

70.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$79.7 CHF 62.9

$3.25 MX$56.2

2353.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 CHF 1.82

$1.31 MX$22.61

76.34%

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

$39.6K CHF 31.2K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

30.82%

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

$40.2K CHF 31.7K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

71.49%

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

$260 CHF 205

$82.9 MX$1,433

214.31%

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

$35.53 CHF 28.02

$22.22 MX$384

59.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.7 CHF 41.56

$29.34 MX$507

79.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.4 CHF 68.9

$51.6 MX$893

69.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.8 CHF 43.96

$18.32 MX$317

204.31%

Cinema Ticket

$25.12 CHF 19.80

$5.07 MX$87.6

395.46%

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

$2,686 CHF 2,118

$201 MX$3,473

1237.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.6K CHF 31.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

660.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$147 CHF 116

$36.92 MX$639

298.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 CHF 50.8

$39.79 MX$688

62.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 CHF 116

$78.5 MX$1,357

87.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$202 CHF 159

$87.1 MX$1,506

131.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,855 CHF 1,462

$973 MX$16.8K

90.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CHF 1,467

$468 MX$8,090

297.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 CHF 2,114

$1,641 MX$28.4K

63.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 CHF 2,299

$1,221 MX$21.1K

138.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K CHF 11.1K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

255.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.0K CHF 7,885

$6,498 MX$112.4K

53.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,069 CHF 3,208

$664 MX$11.5K

512.86%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,855 in Dubendorf and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dubendorf pays 513% 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: $150 in Dubendorf vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $667 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 206% in total monthly costs ($3,974 vs $1,297 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Dubendorf pays 513% 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: $1,855 in Dubendorf versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,974 per month in Dubendorf versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 206% 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 366% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,974 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 206% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.