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 $3,279 per month in Glarus vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,259 per month in Glarus vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,238 per month in Glarus vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Glarus costs about 153% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Glarus sits 145% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.52 CHF 24.07

$11.73 MX$203

160.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$140 CHF 111

$41.62 MX$720

237.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.28 CHF 12.84

$10.64 MX$184

53.01%

Cappuccino

$5.87 CHF 4.63

$3.52 MX$60.9

66.76%

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

$5.16 CHF 4.07

$1.51 MX$26.12

241.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 CHF 3.48

$0.97 MX$16.84

354.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 CHF 5.79

$2.95 MX$51.0

149.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CHF 5.70

$4.45 MX$77.0

62.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CHF 1.58

$1.38 MX$23.93

44.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.76 CHF 2.18

$1.89 MX$32.72

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.74

$1.64 MX$28.32

34.76%

Eggs

$7.98 CHF 6.29

$2.51 MX$43.34

217.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.90 CHF 24.36

$8.34 MX$144

270.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$35.70 CHF 28.14

$8.34 MX$144

328.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$50.4 CHF 39.71

$10.73 MX$186

369.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CHF 2.90

$2.60 MX$45.04

41.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 CHF 1.83

$1.46 MX$25.20

58.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 CHF 2.26

$1.90 MX$32.87

51.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.36 CHF 5.01

$2.08 MX$35.91

205.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.78 MX$30.71

38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.90

$2.19 MX$37.80

10.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CHF 2.10

$1.04 MX$17.99

156.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 CHF 0.96

$1.08 MX$18.62

12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.14 CHF 8.78

$4.08 MX$70.6

173.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 CHF 10.89

$10.32 MX$178

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$1.71 MX$29.61

40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 CHF 2.61

$2.58 MX$44.54

28.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.01 CHF 4.74

$0.51 MX$8.81

1078.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$110 CHF 86.8

$26.46 MX$458

316.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 CHF 6.52

$3.26 MX$56.4

153.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.29 CHF 3.38

$2.49 MX$43.09

72.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.5 CHF 69.8

$3.25 MX$56.2

2622.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 CHF 1.61

$1.31 MX$22.61

56.49%

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

$35.1K CHF 27.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

16.00%

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

$39.3K CHF 31.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

67.85%

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

$225 CHF 177

$82.9 MX$1,433

171.11%

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

$72.9 CHF 57.5

$22.22 MX$384

228.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.82 CHF 39.28

$29.34 MX$507

69.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 CHF 73.0

$51.6 MX$893

79.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$43.93 CHF 34.64

$18.32 MX$317

139.79%

Cinema Ticket

$19.94 CHF 15.72

$5.07 MX$87.6

293.29%

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

$2,938 CHF 2,317

$201 MX$3,473

1363.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.2K CHF 34.1K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

729.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 111

$36.92 MX$639

279.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$78.3 CHF 61.7

$39.79 MX$688

96.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 CHF 106

$78.5 MX$1,357

70.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 CHF 124

$87.1 MX$1,506

80.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 CHF 1,286

$973 MX$16.8K

67.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 CHF 1,047

$468 MX$8,090

183.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,844 CHF 2,242

$1,641 MX$28.4K

73.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,349 CHF 1,852

$1,221 MX$21.1K

92.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K CHF 11.0K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

252.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K CHF 9,002

$6,498 MX$112.4K

75.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Glarus versus $973 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 $140 in Glarus versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $670 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 153%, 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 $4,919 per month in Glarus and $1,945 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 316% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,938 per month in Glarus and $201 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 $1,297, than in Glarus at $3,279. 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.