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 $3,143 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,986 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,828 per month in La Chaux-de-Fonds vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

La Chaux-de-Fonds costs about 142% 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 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.98 CHF 19.69

$11.73 MX$203

112.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 CHF 67.0

$41.62 MX$720

104.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.29 CHF 14.42

$10.64 MX$184

71.90%

Cappuccino

$4.60 CHF 3.63

$3.52 MX$60.9

30.68%

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

$3.62 CHF 2.86

$1.51 MX$26.12

139.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 CHF 3.61

$0.97 MX$16.84

372.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 CHF 5.78

$2.95 MX$51.0

148.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 CHF 4.83

$4.45 MX$77.0

37.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.82

$1.38 MX$23.93

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 CHF 2.99

$1.89 MX$32.72

100.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CHF 3.41

$1.64 MX$28.32

163.41%

Eggs

$7.38 CHF 5.82

$2.51 MX$43.34

194.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.39 CHF 21.59

$8.34 MX$144

228.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.78 CHF 26.63

$8.34 MX$144

305.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$53.0 CHF 41.75

$10.73 MX$186

393.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 CHF 2.79

$2.60 MX$45.04

35.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 1.94

$1.46 MX$25.20

68.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 CHF 2.43

$1.90 MX$32.87

62.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.21 CHF 4.90

$2.08 MX$35.91

198.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 CHF 2.02

$1.78 MX$30.71

44.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 CHF 1.89

$2.19 MX$37.80

9.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.04

$1.04 MX$17.99

149.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.05

$1.08 MX$18.62

23.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 CHF 8.65

$4.08 MX$70.6

168.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CHF 9.86

$10.32 MX$178

21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 CHF 1.89

$1.71 MX$29.61

40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CHF 2.95

$2.58 MX$44.54

44.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.10 CHF 2.44

$0.51 MX$8.81

507.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 CHF 125

$26.46 MX$458

498.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 CHF 5.93

$3.26 MX$56.4

130.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.64 CHF 2.87

$2.49 MX$43.09

46.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.5 CHF 51.7

$3.25 MX$56.2

1915.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.73

$1.31 MX$22.61

67.94%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.5K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

36.10%

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

$48.4K CHF 38.2K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

106.57%

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

$257 CHF 203

$82.9 MX$1,433

210.22%

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

$48.20 CHF 38.00

$22.22 MX$384

116.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 CHF 50.1

$29.34 MX$507

116.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 CHF 60.8

$51.6 MX$893

49.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$24.58 CHF 19.38

$5.07 MX$87.6

384.81%

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

$3,131 CHF 2,469

$201 MX$3,473

1459.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K CHF 16.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

301.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$138 CHF 109

$36.92 MX$639

274.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.0 CHF 62.3

$39.79 MX$688

98.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$160 CHF 127

$78.5 MX$1,357

104.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$211 CHF 166

$87.1 MX$1,506

141.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 CHF 1,151

$973 MX$16.8K

50.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 CHF 870

$468 MX$8,090

136.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,903 CHF 3,077

$1,641 MX$28.4K

137.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,381 CHF 1,877

$1,221 MX$21.1K

95.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K CHF 10.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

232.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,930 CHF 7,829

$6,498 MX$112.4K

52.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,383 CHF 4,244

$664 MX$11.5K

710.72%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,460 in La Chaux-de-Fonds 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.

Salaries run about 711% 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 $85.0 in La Chaux-de-Fonds versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $677 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 142% 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 $1,945 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 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 $3,143 in La Chaux-de-Fonds and $1,297 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 $1,297, than in La Chaux-de-Fonds at $3,143. 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 $1,297 versus $3,143 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.