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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,014 in Annemasse.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,297 in Annemasse.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,579 in Annemasse.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 36% less than in Annemasse, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Annemasse is 47% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.71 MX$198
$17.27 €14.86
-32.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.59 MX$786
$70.6 €60.8
-34.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.65 MX$197
$14.06 €12.10
-17.14%
Cappuccino
$4.09 MX$69.1
$3.85 €3.31
6.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 MX$23.20
$3.16 €2.72
-56.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$14.07
$1.95 €1.67
-57.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 MX$56.6
$7.57 €6.52
-55.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.91 MX$117
$5.65 €4.86
22.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 MX$29.15
$1.17 €1.01
47.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 MX$38.15
$2.01 €1.73
12.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$29.86
$2.00 €1.72
-11.50%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$46.12
$3.43 €2.95
-20.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.18 MX$155
$20.41 €17.56
-55.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.92 MX$151
$13.11 €11.28
-31.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.60 MX$213
$24.59 €21.16
-48.76%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$51.0
$3.27 €2.82
-7.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 MX$26.51
$2.18 €1.87
-27.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 MX$35.88
$2.92 €2.51
-27.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.22
$2.54 €2.19
-11.02%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$33.82
$1.33 €1.14
50.38%
Onion (1kg)
$2.06 MX$34.85
$1.27 €1.09
62.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 MX$19.91
$1.14 €0.98
3.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.32
$0.71 €0.61
69.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.63 MX$78.2
$14.06 €12.10
-67.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.69 MX$180
$8.61 €7.41
24.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.33
$2.76 €2.37
-41.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$48.63
$3.57 €3.07
-19.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.57 MX$9.68
$2.03 €1.75
-71.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.83 MX$503
$49.17 €42.31
-39.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 MX$91.9
$4.57 €3.94
19.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.70 MX$62.5
$2.15 €1.85
72.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 MX$101
$32.45 €27.92
-81.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$26.22
$2.02 €1.74
-23.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K MX$376.8K
$36.6K €31.5K
-38.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K MX$438.0K
$39.6K €34.1K
-34.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.1 MX$1,504
$212 €183
-58.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.04 MX$423
$16.97 €14.60
47.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.50 MX$532
$33.24 €28.60
-5.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.8 MX$1,144
$36.64 €31.53
84.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.92 MX$488
$21.95 €18.89
31.75%
Cinema Ticket
$5.05 MX$85.2
$13.96 €12.01
-63.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 MX$3,797
$821 €706
-72.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,222 MX$71.3K
$11.0K €9,469
-61.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.44 MX$801
$106 €91.5
-55.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.98 MX$759
$38.69 €33.30
16.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.0 MX$1,384
$98.1 €84.4
-16.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1 MX$1,555
$148 €127
-37.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,069 MX$18.0K
$1,211 €1,042
-11.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$405 MX$6,842
$814 €700
-50.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,935 MX$32.7K
$2,240 €1,927
-13.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,301 MX$22.0K
$1,756 €1,511
-25.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,995 MX$67.4K
$4,183 €3,599
-4.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,626 MX$111.8K
$3,127 €2,691
111.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Annemasse
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$749 MX$12.6K
$3,558 €3,062
-78.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
3.8
201.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Annemasse: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,211 in Annemasse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Annemasse pays 375% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $71.0 in Annemasse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $366 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
Playa del Carmen vs Annemasse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Annemasse?
Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Annemasse. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Playa del Carmen or in Annemasse?
On paper, salaries run 375% lower in Annemasse. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Annemasse?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,211 in Annemasse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Annemasse?
All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $2,014 in Annemasse – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Annemasse?
A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 65% less than in Annemasse. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Playa del Carmen or in Annemasse?
At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,014 in Annemasse, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Annemasse. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Annemasse?
Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.
How safe is Playa del Carmen compared to Annemasse?
Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Annemasse are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Annemasse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities