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 $4,058 per month in Montreux vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,760 per month in Montreux vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,462 per month in Montreux vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Montreux costs about 213% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montreux sits 203% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.25 CHF 23.85

$11.73 MX$203

157.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 CHF 118

$41.62 MX$720

258.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.89 CHF 14.90

$10.64 MX$184

77.54%

Cappuccino

$6.02 CHF 4.74

$3.52 MX$60.9

71.02%

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

$5.59 CHF 4.41

$1.51 MX$26.12

270.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 CHF 3.74

$0.97 MX$16.84

389.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.61 CHF 7.58

$2.95 MX$51.0

225.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.67 CHF 6.84

$4.45 MX$77.0

94.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CHF 1.76

$1.38 MX$23.93

61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 CHF 3.00

$1.89 MX$32.72

101.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CHF 3.48

$1.64 MX$28.32

168.90%

Eggs

$7.04 CHF 5.55

$2.51 MX$43.34

180.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$29.06 CHF 22.91

$8.34 MX$144

248.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$28.44 CHF 22.42

$8.34 MX$144

241.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$43.85 CHF 34.57

$10.73 MX$186

308.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 CHF 3.16

$2.60 MX$45.04

54.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 CHF 1.70

$1.46 MX$25.20

47.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 CHF 2.28

$1.90 MX$32.87

52.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 CHF 5.05

$2.08 MX$35.91

207.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.17 CHF 2.50

$1.78 MX$30.71

78.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 CHF 1.91

$2.19 MX$37.80

10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 CHF 1.99

$1.04 MX$17.99

142.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 CHF 1.24

$1.08 MX$18.62

45.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 CHF 8.59

$4.08 MX$70.6

166.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 CHF 11.17

$10.32 MX$178

37.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CHF 1.60

$1.71 MX$29.61

18.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 CHF 2.39

$2.58 MX$44.54

17.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.03 CHF 3.18

$0.51 MX$8.81

690.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 CHF 70.6

$26.46 MX$458

238.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 CHF 6.37

$3.26 MX$56.4

147.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.12 CHF 3.25

$2.49 MX$43.09

65.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$66.7 CHF 52.6

$3.25 MX$56.2

1952.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.78

$1.31 MX$22.61

72.52%

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

$39.8K CHF 31.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

31.53%

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

$42.0K CHF 33.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

79.06%

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

$308 CHF 243

$82.9 MX$1,433

271.91%

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

$50.1 CHF 39.46

$22.22 MX$384

125.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.1 CHF 45.81

$29.34 MX$507

98.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.5 CHF 63.4

$51.6 MX$893

55.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.99 CHF 29.16

$18.32 MX$317

101.91%

Cinema Ticket

$22.58 CHF 17.81

$5.07 MX$87.6

345.36%

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

$2,617 CHF 2,064

$201 MX$3,473

1203.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.8K CHF 26.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

548.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 CHF 86.0

$36.92 MX$639

195.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.6 CHF 54.1

$39.79 MX$688

72.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$176 CHF 139

$78.5 MX$1,357

124.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$184 CHF 145

$87.1 MX$1,506

111.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 CHF 1,717

$973 MX$16.8K

123.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,006 CHF 1,582

$468 MX$8,090

328.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,327 CHF 2,623

$1,641 MX$28.4K

102.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,749 CHF 2,167

$1,221 MX$21.1K

125.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

323.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,808 CHF 6,944

$6,498 MX$112.4K

35.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,425 CHF 6,642

$664 MX$11.5K

1169.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,177 in Montreux versus $973 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 1169% 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 $149 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 213%, 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 $6,088 per month in Montreux and $1,945 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 $2,617 per month in Montreux and $201 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 $1,297, than in Montreux at $4,058. 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.