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: $3,382 in Lancy versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,149 in Lancy versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,916 in Lancy versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lancy is roughly 167% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lancy is 147% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.91 CHF 23.76

$11.60 MX$200

149.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$126 CHF 104

$47.11 MX$811

167.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.85 CHF 13.02

$11.88 MX$205

33.42%

Cappuccino

$6.39 CHF 5.25

$3.98 MX$68.5

60.55%

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

$5.25 CHF 4.31

$1.43 MX$24.57

267.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 CHF 3.56

$0.82 MX$14.20

429.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.07 CHF 7.45

$3.19 MX$54.9

184.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 CHF 6.63

$6.79 MX$117

18.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.80

$1.68 MX$28.85

30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 CHF 2.44

$2.20 MX$37.83

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 CHF 2.63

$1.71 MX$29.41

87.13%

Eggs

$8.26 CHF 6.79

$2.74 MX$47.20

201.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.22 CHF 20.73

$9.58 MX$165

163.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$29.00 CHF 23.83

$9.01 MX$155

221.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.85 CHF 32.75

$12.81 MX$221

211.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 CHF 2.87

$2.89 MX$49.74

20.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CHF 1.40

$1.50 MX$25.78

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 CHF 2.21

$2.15 MX$36.98

25.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 CHF 3.76

$2.26 MX$38.91

102.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 CHF 1.32

$1.98 MX$34.10

-18.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 CHF 1.64

$1.99 MX$34.26

0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 CHF 1.75

$1.23 MX$21.25

73.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 CHF 1.08

$1.20 MX$20.60

9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.20 CHF 9.21

$4.55 MX$78.3

146.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 CHF 9.95

$10.37 MX$179

16.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$1.62 MX$27.88

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CHF 2.56

$2.88 MX$49.60

7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.41 CHF 3.63

$0.60 MX$10.34

635.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 83.4

$28.80 MX$496

252.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 CHF 6.31

$5.39 MX$92.8

42.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.92 CHF 3.22

$3.73 MX$64.2

5.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.1 CHF 54.3

$5.77 MX$99.3

1045.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 CHF 1.94

$1.54 MX$26.45

53.90%

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

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

75.72%

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

$39.7K CHF 32.6K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

52.18%

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

$275 CHF 226

$91.4 MX$1,573

201.21%

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

$29.05 CHF 23.88

$25.20 MX$434

15.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.4 CHF 45.53

$31.24 MX$538

77.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.6 CHF 76.9

$67.2 MX$1,157

39.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.97 CHF 38.60

$29.11 MX$501

61.35%

Cinema Ticket

$24.41 CHF 20.06

$4.86 MX$83.7

402.26%

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

$2,476 CHF 2,035

$224 MX$3,851

1007.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K CHF 26.3K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

656.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 112

$47.10 MX$811

189.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 CHF 51.3

$44.29 MX$763

40.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$158 CHF 130

$80.1 MX$1,379

97.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 CHF 156

$92.7 MX$1,596

105.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 CHF 1,409

$1,063 MX$18.3K

61.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 CHF 1,222

$390 MX$6,719

281.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,899 CHF 2,382

$2,149 MX$37.0K

34.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,546 CHF 2,092

$1,272 MX$21.9K

100.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.3K CHF 13.4K

$4,001 MX$68.9K

307.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.1K

$6,502 MX$112.0K

89.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.98

11.45

-82.71%

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

Last update for Lancy: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,715 in Lancy and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $126 in Lancy vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $574 vs $276 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 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,073 in Lancy and $1,899 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: $1,715 in Lancy versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,382 per month in Lancy versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 167% 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 252% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,382 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 167% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.