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: $3,479 in Lancy versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,298 in Lancy versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,117 in Lancy versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Lancy is roughly 170% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lancy is 160% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.33 CHF 23.96

$11.94 MX$208

154.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$146 CHF 115

$42.75 MX$744

241.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.27 CHF 14.44

$10.59 MX$184

72.52%

Cappuccino

$5.94 CHF 4.69

$3.62 MX$63.0

64.09%

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

$5.23 CHF 4.13

$1.47 MX$25.54

255.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 CHF 3.96

$0.94 MX$16.41

432.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.99 CHF 7.89

$3.09 MX$53.8

223.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 CHF 5.88

$4.46 MX$77.6

66.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.76

$1.43 MX$24.80

55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 CHF 2.97

$1.88 MX$32.79

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CHF 3.50

$1.63 MX$28.34

171.78%

Eggs

$7.44 CHF 5.88

$2.64 MX$45.99

181.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.17 CHF 21.46

$8.21 MX$143

230.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.94 CHF 26.02

$8.29 MX$144

297.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.60 CHF 34.44

$11.10 MX$193

292.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 CHF 2.83

$2.65 MX$46.14

35.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.50 MX$26.11

68.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.03 CHF 2.39

$1.99 MX$34.59

52.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.06

$2.08 MX$36.13

207.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 CHF 2.04

$1.79 MX$31.11

44.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 CHF 1.90

$2.18 MX$37.87

10.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CHF 1.96

$1.08 MX$18.73

130.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CHF 1.05

$1.04 MX$18.04

27.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.19 CHF 8.84

$3.97 MX$69.1

181.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CHF 9.87

$10.20 MX$178

22.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 CHF 1.94

$1.73 MX$30.04

41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$2.50 MX$43.46

26.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.82 CHF 3.02

$0.52 MX$9.02

634.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 CHF 79.0

$26.97 MX$469

270.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 CHF 5.85

$3.14 MX$54.7

135.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.55 CHF 2.80

$2.40 MX$41.80

47.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.8 CHF 51.2

$3.09 MX$53.7

1995.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.77

$1.27 MX$22.16

76.38%

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

$41.2K CHF 32.5K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

33.27%

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

$45.4K CHF 35.9K

$23.3K MX$405.7K

94.82%

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

$257 CHF 203

$82.0 MX$1,427

213.67%

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

$47.66 CHF 37.65

$22.45 MX$391

112.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.6 CHF 46.32

$29.66 MX$516

97.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 CHF 69.7

$51.9 MX$903

69.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$23.05 CHF 18.21

$4.97 MX$86.5

363.78%

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

$2,614 CHF 2,065

$198 MX$3,442

1221.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.2K CHF 26.2K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

529.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$133 CHF 105

$36.34 MX$632

266.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$80.7 CHF 63.7

$40.05 MX$697

101.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 CHF 128

$79.9 MX$1,390

103.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$211 CHF 167

$88.9 MX$1,547

137.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 CHF 1,327

$963 MX$16.8K

74.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 CHF 1,157

$465 MX$8,086

215.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,883 CHF 2,278

$1,596 MX$27.8K

80.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 CHF 1,961

$1,209 MX$21.0K

105.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K CHF 10.7K

$3,942 MX$68.6K

243.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.0K CHF 7,920

$6,448 MX$112.2K

55.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,680 in Lancy and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $146 in Lancy vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $643 vs $251 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 170% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $5,219 in Lancy and $1,930 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: $1,680 in Lancy versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,479 per month in Lancy versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 170% 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 271% less than in Lancy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,479 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 170% less than in Lancy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.