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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,462 in Biasca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $5,108 in Biasca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,754 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 3% below, Biasca is 160% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$21.83 CHF 17.32

-46.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$61.8 CHF 48.97

-32.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$12.16 CHF 9.65

-14.39%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$4.19 CHF 3.32

-13.84%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$5.97 CHF 4.74

-75.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$5.39 CHF 4.27

-82.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$10.33 CHF 8.20

-71.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$7.57 CHF 6.00

-38.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$2.28 CHF 1.81

-37.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$3.94 CHF 3.13

-51.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$5.25 CHF 4.16

-70.10%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$8.06 CHF 6.39

-67.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$29.58 CHF 23.46

-71.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$35.44 CHF 28.11

-75.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$43.37 CHF 34.40

-74.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$3.66 CHF 2.90

-26.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$2.17 CHF 1.72

-30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.86 CHF 2.27

-33.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$7.37 CHF 5.84

-70.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.26 CHF 1.79

-17.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.52 CHF 2.00

-11.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$2.65 CHF 2.10

-59.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$1.67 CHF 1.32

-35.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$9.96 CHF 7.90

-58.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$19.23 CHF 15.25

-46.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$4.06 CHF 3.22

-58.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$4.28 CHF 3.39

-40.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$3.84 CHF 3.04

-85.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$99.8 CHF 79.1

-73.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$8.70 CHF 6.90

-63.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$5.44 CHF 4.32

-54.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$87.1 CHF 69.1

-96.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.12 CHF 1.68

-37.74%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$39.8K CHF 31.6K

-24.27%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$42.6K CHF 33.8K

-45.10%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$297 CHF 236

-72.63%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$69.0 CHF 54.7

-67.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$59.4 CHF 47.10

-49.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$89.6 CHF 71.1

-42.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$23.25 CHF 18.44

-77.81%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$3,986 CHF 3,161

-94.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$40.3K CHF 32.0K

-86.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$109 CHF 86.2

-67.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$53.7 CHF 42.59

-24.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$157 CHF 124

-49.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$185 CHF 146

-52.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$1,674 CHF 1,328

-43.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$1,491 CHF 1,182

-67.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$2,777 CHF 2,202

-41.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$2,468 CHF 1,957

-50.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$16.7K CHF 13.2K

-75.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$11.7K CHF 9,274

-44.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.5

356.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Biasca: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $1,674 in Biasca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $62.0 in Biasca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $701 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 168% in total monthly costs ($1,294 vs $3,462 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 $1,941 in Playa del Carmen and $5,193 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,674 in Biasca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $3,462 in Biasca – a 168% 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 279% less than in Biasca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,462 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 168% less than in Biasca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.