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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,426 per month in Embrach vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,330 per month in Embrach vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Embrach costs about 174% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Embrach sits 163% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.83 CHF 24.35

$11.94 MX$208

158.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$144 CHF 113

$42.75 MX$744

235.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.23 CHF 14.40

$10.59 MX$184

72.14%

Cappuccino

$5.87 CHF 4.63

$3.62 MX$63.0

62.15%

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

$5.28 CHF 4.17

$1.47 MX$25.54

259.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 CHF 3.71

$0.94 MX$16.41

398.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.48 CHF 6.70

$3.09 MX$53.8

174.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.37 CHF 5.83

$4.46 MX$77.6

65.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.79

$1.43 MX$24.80

58.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 CHF 2.73

$1.88 MX$32.79

83.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 CHF 3.22

$1.63 MX$28.34

150.31%

Eggs

$7.25 CHF 5.73

$2.64 MX$45.99

174.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.48 CHF 23.29

$8.21 MX$143

259.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.93 CHF 26.01

$8.29 MX$144

297.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$48.04 CHF 37.95

$11.10 MX$193

332.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 CHF 2.99

$2.65 MX$46.14

42.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.75

$1.50 MX$26.11

47.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 CHF 2.25

$1.99 MX$34.59

43.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.17 CHF 4.88

$2.08 MX$36.13

196.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 1.98

$1.79 MX$31.11

40.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$2.18 MX$37.87

10.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$1.08 MX$18.73

138.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.05

$1.04 MX$18.04

27.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.28 CHF 8.91

$3.97 MX$69.1

184.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 CHF 11.10

$10.20 MX$178

37.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CHF 1.88

$1.73 MX$30.04

37.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 CHF 2.55

$2.50 MX$43.46

29.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.00 CHF 3.16

$0.52 MX$9.02

669.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 CHF 77.7

$26.97 MX$469

264.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 CHF 6.11

$3.14 MX$54.7

146.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 CHF 3.26

$2.40 MX$41.80

71.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.3 CHF 63.5

$3.09 MX$53.7

2499.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.27 MX$22.16

76.38%

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

$40.4K CHF 31.9K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

30.67%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.6K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

76.91%

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

$256 CHF 202

$82.0 MX$1,427

212.00%

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

$47.83 CHF 37.79

$22.45 MX$391

113.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 CHF 46.87

$29.66 MX$516

100.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.4 CHF 69.0

$51.9 MX$903

68.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$73.0 CHF 57.7

$18.67 MX$325

290.84%

Cinema Ticket

$22.74 CHF 17.96

$4.97 MX$86.5

357.55%

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

$2,919 CHF 2,306

$198 MX$3,442

1375.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.4K CHF 28.0K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

571.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$136 CHF 107

$36.34 MX$632

274.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.5 CHF 54.1

$40.05 MX$697

71.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 CHF 119

$79.9 MX$1,390

88.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 146

$88.9 MX$1,547

108.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 CHF 1,325

$963 MX$16.8K

74.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 CHF 1,141

$465 MX$8,086

210.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,876 CHF 2,272

$1,596 MX$27.8K

80.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,496 CHF 1,972

$1,209 MX$21.0K

106.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K CHF 10.9K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

250.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.8K CHF 8,522

$6,448 MX$112.2K

67.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,959 CHF 5,497

$720 MX$12.5K

865.95%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Embrach versus $963 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 866% 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 $144 in Embrach versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $659 vs $251 – 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, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 174% apart. Embrach costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,283 per month in Embrach and $1,930 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 265% 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 $1,287, 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 $1,287 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.