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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,223 in Lachen versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,987 in Lachen versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,751 in Lachen versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lachen is roughly 156% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lachen is 142% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.67 CHF 24.75

$11.72 MX$203

161.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$150 CHF 121

$41.89 MX$725

257.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.67 CHF 15.06

$10.51 MX$182

77.64%

Cappuccino

$6.38 CHF 5.15

$3.59 MX$62.0

77.72%

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

$5.86 CHF 4.73

$1.51 MX$26.10

288.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 CHF 4.18

$0.92 MX$15.83

463.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.64 CHF 6.16

$2.96 MX$51.2

158.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.26 CHF 5.86

$4.41 MX$76.3

64.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CHF 1.78

$1.40 MX$24.16

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.60 CHF 2.10

$1.88 MX$32.60

38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.96

$1.56 MX$26.97

55.77%

Eggs

$8.05 CHF 6.49

$2.61 MX$45.14

208.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.39 CHF 22.11

$8.32 MX$144

229.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.51 CHF 11.71

$8.35 MX$145

73.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$40.46 CHF 32.65

$10.86 MX$188

272.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 CHF 2.59

$2.71 MX$46.93

18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 CHF 1.49

$1.51 MX$26.04

21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 CHF 1.95

$1.87 MX$32.41

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CHF 4.02

$2.19 MX$37.89

127.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 CHF 2.02

$1.86 MX$32.14

34.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 CHF 1.91

$2.23 MX$38.59

5.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.58 CHF 2.08

$1.07 MX$18.48

141.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CHF 0.93

$1.09 MX$18.79

5.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.68 CHF 8.62

$4.19 MX$72.4

154.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 CHF 10.60

$10.43 MX$180

25.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CHF 1.83

$1.66 MX$28.68

36.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 CHF 1.91

$2.61 MX$45.19

-9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 CHF 3.24

$0.54 MX$9.37

642.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 CHF 80.4

$26.16 MX$453

280.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 CHF 5.46

$3.08 MX$53.3

119.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.32 CHF 3.48

$2.40 MX$41.61

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.6 CHF 65.9

$3.13 MX$54.1

2508.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.77

$1.31 MX$22.69

67.18%

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

$40.9K CHF 33.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

37.12%

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

$40.8K CHF 32.9K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

74.96%

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

$123 CHF 99.6

$81.3 MX$1,406

51.85%

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

$59.5 CHF 48.02

$22.56 MX$390

163.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.5 CHF 43.17

$30.05 MX$520

78.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 CHF 71.2

$52.9 MX$915

66.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.18 CHF 35.65

$18.39 MX$318

140.24%

Cinema Ticket

$21.73 CHF 17.54

$4.92 MX$85.1

341.67%

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

$2,818 CHF 2,274

$201 MX$3,474

1303.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.0K CHF 28.3K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

576.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$122 CHF 98.2

$35.92 MX$622

238.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 CHF 52.3

$40.13 MX$694

61.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 CHF 126

$79.7 MX$1,379

95.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$234 CHF 189

$86.5 MX$1,496

170.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,721 CHF 1,389

$978 MX$16.9K

75.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 CHF 1,186

$470 MX$8,140

212.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,799 CHF 2,259

$1,651 MX$28.6K

69.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 CHF 2,022

$1,203 MX$20.8K

108.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K CHF 11.9K

$3,953 MX$68.4K

273.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.0K CHF 9,667

$6,607 MX$114.3K

81.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,688 CHF 7,818

$677 MX$11.7K

1331.75%

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 Lachen: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,721 in Lachen and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lachen pays 1332% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $150 in Lachen vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $252 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 156% lower than in Lachen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1332% higher in Lachen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,721 in Lachen versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 281% less than in Lachen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,818 in Lachen versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,223 in Lachen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lachen. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,260 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lachen and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Lachen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.