Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montreux and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $3,392 in Montreux, rent and utilities included – about $26,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

165

Cost of Living Index in Montreux
Learn more

Montreux Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Montreux

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,392

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montreux and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montreux and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,392 per month in Montreux vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montreux $3,392
Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $5,203 per month in Montreux vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montreux $5,203
Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $7,015 per month in Montreux vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montreux $7,015
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Montreux costs about 180% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montreux sits 151% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.50 CHF 25.12

$10.76 MX$199

183.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$132 CHF 109

$43.03 MX$795

207.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.41 CHF 15.16

$11.79 MX$218

56.15%

Cappuccino

$5.93 CHF 4.89

$3.87 MX$71.4

53.23%

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

$4.86 CHF 4.00

$1.37 MX$25.29

254.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 CHF 3.38

$0.84 MX$15.44

389.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.83 CHF 8.10

$3.10 MX$57.3

217.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 CHF 8.11

$5.07 MX$93.6

94.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CHF 1.75

$1.44 MX$26.55

47.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 CHF 2.76

$2.23 MX$41.23

50.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 CHF 2.66

$1.47 MX$27.17

119.73%

Eggs

$7.08 CHF 5.83

$2.53 MX$46.71

179.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.74 CHF 20.37

$7.30 MX$135

238.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.15 CHF 23.19

$7.86 MX$145

258.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$39.23 CHF 32.31

$12.79 MX$236

206.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 CHF 2.86

$2.90 MX$53.6

19.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CHF 1.35

$1.44 MX$26.53

13.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 2.00

$2.55 MX$47.07

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 CHF 3.81

$2.06 MX$38.03

124.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 CHF 1.47

$2.00 MX$36.97

-10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 CHF 1.58

$2.01 MX$37.07

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 CHF 1.61

$1.19 MX$22.02

64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CHF 1.42

$1.26 MX$23.23

36.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.67 CHF 8.79

$4.40 MX$81.4

142.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 CHF 9.87

$9.59 MX$177

24.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 CHF 2.22

$1.59 MX$29.41

69.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CHF 2.60

$2.81 MX$51.9

12.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.54 CHF 3.74

$0.57 MX$10.47

696.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 CHF 82.8

$27.82 MX$514

261.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 CHF 6.20

$4.98 MX$92.1

51.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.95 CHF 3.25

$3.50 MX$64.6

12.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 CHF 51.4

$5.40 MX$99.8

1055.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 CHF 1.89

$1.47 MX$27.08

56.46%

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

$38.2K CHF 31.4K

$21.0K MX$387.8K

81.89%

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

$38.8K CHF 32.0K

$23.9K MX$441.8K

62.31%

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

$285 CHF 234

$84.2 MX$1,556

238.05%

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

$36.64 CHF 30.18

$23.99 MX$443

52.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.9 CHF 41.94

$29.02 MX$536

75.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 CHF 72.9

$63.0 MX$1,164

40.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.52 CHF 37.49

$29.14 MX$539

56.21%

Cinema Ticket

$23.83 CHF 19.63

$4.94 MX$91.3

382.39%

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

$2,416 CHF 1,990

$204 MX$3,763

1086.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.8K CHF 29.5K

$3,941 MX$72.8K

808.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$137 CHF 113

$43.60 MX$806

214.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.0 CHF 62.6

$43.12 MX$797

76.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$163 CHF 134

$75.8 MX$1,400

114.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 CHF 152

$88.6 MX$1,637

108.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 CHF 1,378

$1,008 MX$18.6K

65.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,440 CHF 1,186

$374 MX$6,911

285.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,879 CHF 2,371

$1,708 MX$31.6K

68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 CHF 2,025

$1,106 MX$20.4K

122.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.6K CHF 12.9K

$3,944 MX$72.9K

296.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.1K CHF 9,982

$6,169 MX$114.0K

96.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,082 CHF 6,657

$754 MX$13.9K

971.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.95

11.45

-82.97%

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

Last update for Montreux: October 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montreux

$1.4K 42.5%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 74% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Montreux

$570 16.8%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 54.7% $312

Eating Out

Montreux

$475 14%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 57.4% $273

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montreux

$372 11%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 63.1% $235

Clothing & Footwear

Montreux

$252 7.4%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 55.2% $139

Getting Around

Montreux

$146 4.3%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 64% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Montreux

$136 4%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 46.5% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,673 in Montreux versus $1,008 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 972% 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 $132 in Montreux versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $570 vs $258 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Montreux

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

04:55 4:55 AM

21:55 9:55 PM

7 h behind Montreux

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,208

149,923

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Montreux Playa del Carmen 8,660 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Montreux
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 180%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,088 per month in Montreux and $1,816 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 $2,416 per month in Montreux and $204 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 121% 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 $1,210, than in Montreux at $3,392. 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.