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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,416 in Biasca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,075 in Biasca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,733 in Biasca.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 63% less than in Biasca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 7% below, Biasca is 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$22.47 CHF 18.46

-48.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$62.2 CHF 51.2

-24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.17 CHF 10.00

-2.38%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$4.25 CHF 3.49

-6.35%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$6.54 CHF 5.37

-78.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$6.27 CHF 5.16

-86.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$9.86 CHF 8.10

-67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$7.87 CHF 6.47

-13.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.20 CHF 1.81

-23.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$4.02 CHF 3.31

-45.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$4.24 CHF 3.48

-59.67%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$8.06 CHF 6.62

-66.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$28.00 CHF 23.01

-65.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$32.27 CHF 26.52

-72.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$43.05 CHF 35.38

-70.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.65 CHF 3.00

-20.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$2.07 CHF 1.70

-27.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.87 CHF 2.36

-25.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$5.38 CHF 4.42

-57.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$2.08 CHF 1.71

-4.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$2.18 CHF 1.79

-8.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$2.46 CHF 2.02

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$1.36 CHF 1.11

-11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.28 CHF 8.45

-55.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$18.82 CHF 15.46

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$3.07 CHF 2.52

-47.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$4.13 CHF 3.39

-30.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$4.43 CHF 3.64

-86.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$101 CHF 82.7

-71.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$8.89 CHF 7.30

-39.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$6.15 CHF 5.06

-39.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$80.6 CHF 66.2

-92.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$2.21 CHF 1.82

-30.32%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$43.3K CHF 35.6K

-47.95%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

-34.22%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$231 CHF 190

-60.45%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$41.24 CHF 33.89

-38.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$63.2 CHF 51.9

-50.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$91.7 CHF 75.4

-26.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$46.52 CHF 38.23

-37.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$24.51 CHF 20.14

-80.17%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$4,374 CHF 3,594

-94.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$35.7K CHF 29.3K

-88.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$171 CHF 140

-72.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$70.9 CHF 58.3

-37.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$191 CHF 157

-58.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$282 CHF 232

-67.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$1,748 CHF 1,436

-39.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$1,487 CHF 1,222

-73.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$2,950 CHF 2,424

-27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$2,540 CHF 2,088

-49.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$16.7K CHF 13.7K

-75.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$12.2K CHF 10.0K

-46.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.9

502.63%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Biasca: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $1,748 in Biasca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $62.0 in Biasca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $653 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 Biasca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Biasca differ by about 170% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $3,416 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $5,124 in Biasca 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,748 in Biasca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,416 in Biasca – 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 249% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,416 in Biasca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Biasca. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Biasca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 170% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.