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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,444 in Lancy versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,317 in Lancy versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,190 in Lancy versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lancy is roughly 166% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lancy is 158% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.94 CHF 24.54

$11.73 MX$202

163.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 116

$41.78 MX$719

249.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.50 CHF 14.67

$10.41 MX$179

77.71%

Cappuccino

$5.84 CHF 4.63

$3.61 MX$62.1

61.77%

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

$5.29 CHF 4.20

$1.46 MX$25.06

262.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CHF 3.99

$0.97 MX$16.70

418.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.89 CHF 7.84

$2.92 MX$50.3

238.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 CHF 5.93

$4.62 MX$79.5

61.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.70

$1.43 MX$24.59

49.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 CHF 3.06

$1.90 MX$32.70

102.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 CHF 3.55

$1.57 MX$26.95

184.71%

Eggs

$7.64 CHF 6.06

$2.64 MX$45.34

189.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.55 CHF 21.06

$8.44 MX$145

214.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$33.49 CHF 26.56

$8.58 MX$148

290.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.36 CHF 34.39

$11.00 MX$189

294.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 CHF 2.76

$2.70 MX$46.51

28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 CHF 1.94

$1.51 MX$25.92

61.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 CHF 2.46

$1.91 MX$32.93

62.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.25 CHF 4.96

$2.17 MX$37.37

188.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CHF 2.05

$1.87 MX$32.25

37.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$2.23 MX$38.43

9.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 CHF 2.05

$1.08 MX$18.60

139.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.06

$1.07 MX$18.47

24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.23 CHF 8.91

$4.16 MX$71.6

169.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 CHF 9.80

$10.29 MX$177

20.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 CHF 1.89

$1.68 MX$28.95

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 CHF 2.48

$2.53 MX$43.59

23.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.01 CHF 3.18

$0.55 MX$9.53

629.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 CHF 79.6

$26.29 MX$452

281.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 CHF 6.03

$3.20 MX$55.0

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 CHF 2.78

$2.46 MX$42.37

42.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.2 CHF 50.9

$3.20 MX$55.0

1907.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.16 CHF 1.71

$1.32 MX$22.72

63.64%

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

$40.5K CHF 32.1K

$30.2K MX$518.8K

34.25%

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

$45.3K CHF 35.9K

$23.4K MX$402.5K

93.59%

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

$259 CHF 205

$81.4 MX$1,400

218.44%

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

$48.96 CHF 38.83

$22.41 MX$386

118.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 CHF 47.57

$29.97 MX$516

100.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.4 CHF 69.3

$51.6 MX$887

69.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$22.94 CHF 18.20

$5.16 MX$88.9

344.57%

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

$2,529 CHF 2,005

$202 MX$3,471

1153.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.9K CHF 26.1K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

519.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 105

$35.61 MX$613

273.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.6 CHF 63.1

$40.37 MX$695

97.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$165 CHF 131

$78.6 MX$1,353

109.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$212 CHF 168

$86.9 MX$1,495

143.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CHF 1,321

$950 MX$16.3K

75.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,475 CHF 1,170

$478 MX$8,227

208.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,838 CHF 2,251

$1,621 MX$27.9K

75.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 CHF 1,961

$1,223 MX$21.0K

102.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.5K CHF 14.6K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

360.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K CHF 9,140

$6,473 MX$111.4K

78.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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 Lancy: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,665 in Lancy and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $146 in Lancy vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $643 vs $254 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

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,167 in Lancy and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,665 in Lancy versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,444 per month in Lancy versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 282% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,444 in Lancy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Lancy. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lancy, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.