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 $3,522 per month in Embrach vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,432 per month in Embrach vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,342 per month in Embrach vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Embrach costs about 177% 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

$30.38 CHF 24.12

$11.87 MX$204

155.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$143 CHF 113

$42.90 MX$736

233.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.40 CHF 14.61

$10.65 MX$183

72.77%

Cappuccino

$6.17 CHF 4.90

$3.45 MX$59.2

78.84%

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

$5.16 CHF 4.10

$1.50 MX$25.81

244.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 CHF 3.75

$0.95 MX$16.28

396.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 CHF 6.53

$3.03 MX$51.9

171.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 CHF 5.95

$4.61 MX$79.1

62.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$1.38 MX$23.61

63.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 CHF 2.72

$1.85 MX$31.70

84.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 CHF 3.34

$1.61 MX$27.65

161.49%

Eggs

$7.33 CHF 5.82

$2.59 MX$44.51

183.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.19 CHF 23.17

$8.26 MX$142

253.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.88 CHF 26.90

$8.37 MX$144

304.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.59 CHF 38.58

$10.66 MX$183

355.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.63 CHF 2.88

$2.63 MX$45.12

38.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 CHF 1.77

$1.49 MX$25.53

49.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 CHF 2.40

$1.92 MX$32.94

57.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.28 CHF 4.98

$2.09 MX$35.81

200.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 2.00

$1.86 MX$31.88

35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.87

$2.26 MX$38.81

3.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.07

$1.06 MX$18.23

145.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.09

$1.09 MX$18.67

25.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.11 CHF 8.82

$4.15 MX$71.2

167.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 CHF 11.03

$10.39 MX$178

33.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.85

$1.72 MX$29.59

35.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 CHF 2.64

$2.61 MX$44.85

27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 CHF 3.17

$0.54 MX$9.30

640.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 CHF 78.3

$26.94 MX$462

265.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 CHF 6.33

$3.13 MX$53.7

154.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.27 CHF 3.39

$2.51 MX$43.09

70.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.7 CHF 64.1

$3.15 MX$54.1

2461.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.75

$1.27 MX$21.88

73.23%

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

$40.2K CHF 31.9K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

32.34%

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

$42.1K CHF 33.5K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

78.85%

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

$262 CHF 208

$83.0 MX$1,425

215.22%

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

$49.37 CHF 39.20

$22.71 MX$390

117.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CHF 46.80

$29.46 MX$506

100.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.0 CHF 70.6

$51.0 MX$875

74.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$75.2 CHF 59.7

$18.33 MX$315

310.26%

Cinema Ticket

$22.42 CHF 17.80

$4.93 MX$84.5

354.77%

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

$2,932 CHF 2,327

$197 MX$3,386

1385.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.4K CHF 27.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

551.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 110

$36.90 MX$633

275.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 CHF 54.2

$39.89 MX$685

71.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 CHF 118

$80.0 MX$1,373

85.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 152

$89.5 MX$1,536

113.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 CHF 1,336

$956 MX$16.4K

76.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CHF 1,178

$477 MX$8,189

211.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,845 CHF 2,259

$1,646 MX$28.3K

72.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 CHF 1,955

$1,225 MX$21.0K

101.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.5K CHF 13.1K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

321.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.7K CHF 9,327

$6,459 MX$110.9K

81.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,817 CHF 5,412

$667 MX$11.4K

921.99%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Embrach versus $956 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 922% 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 $143 in Embrach versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $666 vs $250 – 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: $3,522 in Embrach, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 177% apart. Embrach costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,284 per month in Embrach and $1,906 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 $3,522 in Embrach and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 266% 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 $1,271, than in Embrach at $3,522. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $3,522 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.