Cost of Living Comparison Between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between La Chaux-de-Fonds and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,144 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,011 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,877 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 150% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

La Chaux-de-Fonds sits 135% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.88 CHF 20.11

$11.99 MX$210

107.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.0 CHF 69.5

$41.78 MX$733

105.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.51 CHF 14.96

$10.75 MX$189

72.19%

Cappuccino

$4.63 CHF 3.75

$3.50 MX$61.3

32.29%

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

$3.73 CHF 3.02

$1.45 MX$25.41

157.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 CHF 3.63

$0.88 MX$15.52

410.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.25 CHF 5.86

$2.95 MX$51.7

145.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 CHF 5.09

$4.51 MX$79.1

39.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 CHF 1.76

$1.43 MX$25.12

51.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 CHF 3.06

$1.84 MX$32.23

105.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CHF 3.58

$1.57 MX$27.51

182.17%

Eggs

$7.39 CHF 5.97

$2.51 MX$44.06

194.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.83 CHF 21.69

$8.28 MX$145

224.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.57 CHF 27.14

$8.43 MX$148

298.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$52.2 CHF 42.23

$10.68 MX$187

389.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.56 CHF 2.88

$2.61 MX$45.76

36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 CHF 2.03

$1.44 MX$25.22

74.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 CHF 2.39

$1.96 MX$34.41

50.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 CHF 5.00

$2.09 MX$36.74

195.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$1.85 MX$32.47

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 CHF 1.90

$2.17 MX$38.02

8.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$1.03 MX$18.09

152.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 CHF 1.10

$1.07 MX$18.84

28.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 CHF 8.81

$4.10 MX$72.0

165.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 CHF 10.03

$10.17 MX$178

21.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$1.68 MX$29.38

43.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 CHF 3.01

$2.53 MX$44.31

47.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.04 CHF 2.46

$0.51 MX$8.93

496.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$160 CHF 130

$26.04 MX$457

515.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.64 CHF 6.18

$3.23 MX$56.7

136.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.53 CHF 2.86

$2.41 MX$42.19

46.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.5 CHF 53.0

$3.23 MX$56.6

1929.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$1.32 MX$23.17

71.21%

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

$40.0K CHF 32.3K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

34.73%

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

$48.4K CHF 39.1K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

104.34%

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

$257 CHF 207

$82.0 MX$1,439

212.90%

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

$48.14 CHF 38.92

$22.95 MX$403

109.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 CHF 51.6

$30.11 MX$528

111.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 CHF 60.7

$52.0 MX$912

44.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$24.67 CHF 19.95

$4.98 MX$87.3

395.38%

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

$3,023 CHF 2,444

$197 MX$3,463

1431.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K CHF 16.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

288.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 111

$35.60 MX$624

285.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.6 CHF 65.2

$40.33 MX$707

99.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 134

$78.8 MX$1,381

109.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$208 CHF 168

$88.9 MX$1,560

134.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 CHF 1,204

$947 MX$16.6K

57.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 CHF 865

$474 MX$8,314

125.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,989 CHF 3,225

$1,644 MX$28.8K

142.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 CHF 1,915

$1,211 MX$21.2K

95.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.6K CHF 14.3K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

334.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K CHF 9,134

$6,470 MX$113.5K

74.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,195 CHF 4,200

$654 MX$11.5K

694.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.46

11.42

-78.46%

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

Last update for La Chaux-de-Fonds: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,489 in La Chaux-de-Fonds 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.

Salaries run about 694% higher in La Chaux-de-Fonds, 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 $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $671 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

La Chaux-de-Fonds vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 150% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,715 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in La Chaux-de-Fonds at $3,144. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Chaux-de-Fonds it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,256 versus $3,144 in La Chaux-de-Fonds. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, La Chaux-de-Fonds makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.