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 $3,502 per month in Embrach vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,311 per month in Embrach vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,120 per month in Embrach vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Embrach costs about 177% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Embrach sits 156% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.48 CHF 25.16

$11.60 MX$200

162.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 CHF 102

$47.11 MX$812

162.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.51 CHF 15.28

$11.88 MX$205

55.81%

Cappuccino

$6.00 CHF 4.95

$3.98 MX$68.6

50.75%

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

$5.48 CHF 4.53

$1.43 MX$24.60

283.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 CHF 4.12

$0.82 MX$14.22

508.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.87 CHF 7.32

$3.19 MX$55.0

178.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 CHF 6.07

$6.79 MX$117

8.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.79

$1.68 MX$28.89

29.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 CHF 3.06

$2.20 MX$37.88

68.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 CHF 3.18

$1.71 MX$29.45

125.73%

Eggs

$7.96 CHF 6.57

$2.74 MX$47.26

190.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.40 CHF 21.79

$9.58 MX$165

175.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.10 CHF 23.20

$9.01 MX$155

211.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.98 CHF 33.82

$12.81 MX$221

219.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 CHF 3.05

$2.89 MX$49.81

28.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 CHF 1.74

$1.50 MX$25.81

40.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.22

$2.15 MX$37.03

25.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 CHF 4.05

$2.26 MX$38.96

117.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 CHF 1.57

$1.98 MX$34.15

-4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 CHF 1.75

$1.99 MX$34.30

6.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CHF 1.85

$1.23 MX$21.28

82.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CHF 1.11

$1.20 MX$20.63

11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.91 CHF 9.01

$4.55 MX$78.5

139.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 CHF 10.99

$10.37 MX$179

28.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CHF 2.28

$1.62 MX$27.91

70.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.60

$2.88 MX$49.67

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.46 CHF 3.68

$0.60 MX$10.35

643.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 83.1

$28.80 MX$497

249.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 CHF 6.25

$5.39 MX$92.9

40.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.76 CHF 3.93

$3.73 MX$64.3

27.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$80.9 CHF 66.8

$5.77 MX$99.5

1301.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.84

$1.54 MX$26.48

44.81%

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

$42.4K CHF 35.0K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

87.96%

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

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

52.67%

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

$288 CHF 238

$91.4 MX$1,576

215.58%

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

$33.75 CHF 27.85

$25.20 MX$435

33.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 CHF 47.70

$31.24 MX$539

84.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.3 CHF 75.4

$67.2 MX$1,159

35.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.78 CHF 37.78

$29.11 MX$502

57.27%

Cinema Ticket

$23.65 CHF 19.52

$4.86 MX$83.8

386.63%

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

$2,764 CHF 2,282

$224 MX$3,856

1136.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.3K CHF 29.1K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

735.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$142 CHF 117

$47.10 MX$812

201.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 CHF 48.84

$44.29 MX$764

33.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$170 CHF 140

$80.1 MX$1,381

111.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$191 CHF 157

$92.7 MX$1,598

105.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 CHF 1,463

$1,063 MX$18.3K

66.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,476 CHF 1,219

$390 MX$6,728

278.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,960 CHF 2,443

$2,149 MX$37.1K

37.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,520 CHF 2,080

$1,272 MX$21.9K

98.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.4K CHF 13.5K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

309.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.5K CHF 10.3K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

92.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,661 CHF 5,498

$758 MX$13.1K

778.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.07

11.45

-81.92%

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

Last update for Embrach: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,772 in Embrach versus $1,063 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 779% 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 $124 in Embrach versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $597 vs $276 – 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: $3,502 in Embrach, $1,266 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 $5,253 per month in Embrach and $1,899 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 $3,502 in Embrach and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 249% 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 $1,266, than in Embrach at $3,502. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $3,502 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.