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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,371 per month in Glarus vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,198 per month in Glarus vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,024 per month in Glarus vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Glarus costs about 168% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Glarus sits 152% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.97 CHF 25.04

$11.99 MX$210

158.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$141 CHF 114

$41.78 MX$733

237.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.91 CHF 12.87

$10.75 MX$189

48.00%

Cappuccino

$5.79 CHF 4.68

$3.50 MX$61.3

65.43%

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

$5.42 CHF 4.38

$1.45 MX$25.41

273.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 CHF 3.44

$0.88 MX$15.52

382.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 CHF 5.94

$2.95 MX$51.7

149.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 CHF 5.93

$4.51 MX$79.1

62.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 CHF 1.58

$1.43 MX$25.12

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CHF 2.30

$1.84 MX$32.23

54.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.78

$1.57 MX$27.51

40.76%

Eggs

$7.98 CHF 6.45

$2.51 MX$44.06

217.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.67 CHF 24.80

$8.28 MX$145

270.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.89 CHF 29.02

$8.43 MX$148

325.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$51.3 CHF 41.51

$10.68 MX$187

380.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.79 CHF 3.06

$2.61 MX$45.76

45.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 CHF 1.87

$1.44 MX$25.22

60.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.32

$1.96 MX$34.41

46.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.16 CHF 4.98

$2.09 MX$36.74

194.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 CHF 1.93

$1.85 MX$32.47

28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 CHF 2.00

$2.17 MX$38.02

13.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.08

$1.03 MX$18.09

150.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 0.98

$1.07 MX$18.84

14.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.02 CHF 8.91

$4.10 MX$72.0

168.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 CHF 9.10

$10.17 MX$178

10.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 CHF 1.96

$1.68 MX$29.38

44.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 CHF 2.81

$2.53 MX$44.31

37.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.01 CHF 4.86

$0.51 MX$8.93

1078.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CHF 90.2

$26.04 MX$457

328.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 CHF 6.40

$3.23 MX$56.7

145.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 CHF 3.34

$2.41 MX$42.19

71.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$87.1 CHF 70.4

$3.23 MX$56.6

2597.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.73

$1.32 MX$23.17

62.12%

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

$35.3K CHF 28.5K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

18.80%

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

$38.7K CHF 31.3K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

63.76%

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

$224 CHF 181

$82.0 MX$1,439

173.59%

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

$74.4 CHF 60.1

$22.95 MX$403

223.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.66 CHF 39.34

$30.11 MX$528

61.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.4 CHF 73.9

$52.0 MX$912

75.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.27 CHF 34.98

$18.53 MX$325

133.51%

Cinema Ticket

$20.61 CHF 16.66

$4.98 MX$87.3

313.86%

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

$2,895 CHF 2,340

$197 MX$3,463

1366.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.3K CHF 34.2K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

692.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$139 CHF 113

$35.60 MX$624

291.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.7 CHF 61.2

$40.33 MX$707

87.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 108

$78.8 MX$1,381

69.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 CHF 129

$88.9 MX$1,560

78.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 CHF 1,348

$947 MX$16.6K

76.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,319 CHF 1,067

$474 MX$8,314

178.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,892 CHF 2,338

$1,644 MX$28.8K

75.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 CHF 1,919

$1,211 MX$21.2K

96.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K CHF 11.4K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

248.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.7K CHF 8,687

$6,470 MX$113.5K

66.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

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 Glarus: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in Glarus versus $947 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $141 in Glarus versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $668 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Glarus is pricier by about 168%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,056 per month in Glarus and $1,884 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.

Public transport costs about 328% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,895 per month in Glarus and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Glarus at $3,371. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Glarus it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Glarus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.