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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,481 per month in Embrach vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,353 per month in Embrach vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,224 per month in Embrach vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Embrach costs about 176% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Embrach sits 162% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.05 CHF 25.06

$11.72 MX$203

164.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 CHF 114

$41.89 MX$725

237.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.13 CHF 14.63

$10.51 MX$182

72.50%

Cappuccino

$6.16 CHF 4.97

$3.59 MX$62.0

71.59%

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

$5.38 CHF 4.34

$1.51 MX$26.10

256.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 CHF 3.94

$0.92 MX$15.83

431.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 CHF 6.66

$2.96 MX$51.2

178.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 CHF 6.14

$4.41 MX$76.3

72.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.40 MX$24.16

52.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.57 CHF 2.88

$1.88 MX$32.60

89.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 CHF 3.32

$1.56 MX$26.97

164.10%

Eggs

$7.18 CHF 5.80

$2.61 MX$45.14

175.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.24 CHF 23.60

$8.32 MX$144

251.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.74 CHF 27.23

$8.35 MX$145

304.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$47.48 CHF 38.32

$10.86 MX$188

337.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$2.71 MX$46.93

39.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.87

$1.51 MX$26.04

53.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 CHF 2.39

$1.87 MX$32.41

58.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.20 CHF 5.00

$2.19 MX$37.89

183.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 1.99

$1.86 MX$32.14

32.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.23 MX$38.59

8.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.04

$1.07 MX$18.48

136.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 CHF 1.11

$1.09 MX$18.79

26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 8.96

$4.19 MX$72.4

164.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.21 CHF 10.66

$10.43 MX$180

26.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CHF 1.99

$1.66 MX$28.68

48.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 CHF 2.66

$2.61 MX$45.19

26.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.94 CHF 3.18

$0.54 MX$9.37

629.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.9 CHF 79.8

$26.16 MX$453

278.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.05 CHF 6.50

$3.08 MX$53.3

161.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.10 CHF 3.31

$2.40 MX$41.61

70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.4 CHF 64.9

$3.13 MX$54.1

2469.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.31 MX$22.69

70.99%

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

$40.2K CHF 32.4K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

34.87%

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

$41.0K CHF 33.1K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

75.89%

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

$257 CHF 207

$81.3 MX$1,406

216.29%

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

$48.00 CHF 38.74

$22.56 MX$390

112.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 CHF 47.06

$30.05 MX$520

94.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.3 CHF 69.6

$52.9 MX$915

63.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.70 CHF 37.69

$18.39 MX$318

153.94%

Cinema Ticket

$22.97 CHF 18.54

$4.92 MX$85.1

366.87%

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

$2,845 CHF 2,296

$201 MX$3,474

1317.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.8K CHF 28.1K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

572.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 110

$35.92 MX$622

278.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.9 CHF 55.6

$40.13 MX$694

71.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 122

$79.7 MX$1,379

89.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 149

$86.5 MX$1,496

114.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 CHF 1,374

$978 MX$16.9K

74.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 CHF 1,170

$470 MX$8,140

208.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 CHF 2,244

$1,651 MX$28.6K

68.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 CHF 1,987

$1,203 MX$20.8K

104.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 11.9K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

273.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.4K CHF 10,000

$6,607 MX$114.3K

87.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,794 CHF 5,483

$677 MX$11.7K

904.07%

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 Embrach: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,703 in Embrach versus $978 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 904% higher in Embrach, 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 $142 in Embrach versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $661 vs $252 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,481 in Embrach, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 176% apart. Embrach costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,222 per month in Embrach and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,481 in Embrach and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 278% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Embrach at $3,481. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Embrach it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,260 in Playa del Carmen to $3,481 in Embrach. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Embrach makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.