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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,993 per month in Montreux vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,756 per month in Montreux vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,519 per month in Montreux vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montreux costs about 218% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montreux sits 199% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.86 CHF 24.95

$11.99 MX$210

157.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 CHF 120

$41.78 MX$733

254.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.76 CHF 15.17

$10.75 MX$189

74.51%

Cappuccino

$6.09 CHF 4.92

$3.50 MX$61.3

74.00%

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

$5.51 CHF 4.45

$1.45 MX$25.41

280.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 CHF 3.97

$0.88 MX$15.52

456.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.00 CHF 8.08

$2.95 MX$51.7

238.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.49 CHF 6.86

$4.51 MX$79.1

88.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.82

$1.43 MX$25.12

58.04%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 CHF 3.12

$1.84 MX$32.23

109.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 CHF 3.55

$1.57 MX$27.51

179.62%

Eggs

$7.29 CHF 5.90

$2.51 MX$44.06

190.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.22 CHF 22.81

$8.28 MX$145

240.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.54 CHF 23.07

$8.43 MX$148

238.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.93 CHF 35.52

$10.68 MX$187

311.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 CHF 3.25

$2.61 MX$45.76

54.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.75

$1.44 MX$25.22

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 CHF 2.35

$1.96 MX$34.41

48.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.64 CHF 5.37

$2.09 MX$36.74

217.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 CHF 2.55

$1.85 MX$32.47

70.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 CHF 1.95

$2.17 MX$38.02

11.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CHF 2.05

$1.03 MX$18.09

145.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.27

$1.07 MX$18.84

46.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CHF 8.94

$4.10 MX$72.0

169.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 CHF 11.11

$10.17 MX$178

35.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 CHF 1.65

$1.68 MX$29.38

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CHF 2.52

$2.53 MX$44.31

22.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.15 CHF 3.36

$0.51 MX$8.93

713.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.3 CHF 73.8

$26.04 MX$457

250.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 CHF 6.44

$3.23 MX$56.7

146.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.13 CHF 3.34

$2.41 MX$42.19

71.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.8 CHF 54.0

$3.23 MX$56.6

1966.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.24 CHF 1.81

$1.32 MX$23.17

69.70%

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

$40.4K CHF 32.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

36.16%

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

$41.1K CHF 33.2K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

73.58%

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

$298 CHF 241

$82.0 MX$1,439

262.85%

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

$50.9 CHF 41.14

$22.95 MX$403

121.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 CHF 46.64

$30.11 MX$528

91.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 CHF 65.1

$52.0 MX$912

54.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.31 CHF 30.16

$18.53 MX$325

101.35%

Cinema Ticket

$22.78 CHF 18.42

$4.98 MX$87.3

357.43%

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

$2,625 CHF 2,122

$197 MX$3,463

1229.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K CHF 27.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

546.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 CHF 89.1

$35.60 MX$624

209.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.7 CHF 57.2

$40.33 MX$707

75.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 CHF 143

$78.8 MX$1,381

124.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 148

$88.9 MX$1,560

106.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,182 CHF 1,764

$947 MX$16.6K

130.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,999 CHF 1,616

$474 MX$8,314

321.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,322 CHF 2,686

$1,644 MX$28.8K

102.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,802 CHF 2,265

$1,211 MX$21.2K

131.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.2K CHF 13.1K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

298.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.2K CHF 9,901

$6,470 MX$113.5K

89.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,997 CHF 6,466

$654 MX$11.5K

1123.05%

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 Montreux: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,182 in Montreux versus $947 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 1123% higher in Montreux, 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 $148 in Montreux versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $632 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

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

Yes – Montreux is pricier by about 218%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,990 per month in Montreux and $1,884 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.

Kindergarten costs $2,625 per month in Montreux and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 154% more in Montreux, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Montreux at $3,993. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montreux it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Montreux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.