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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,576 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,334 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,092 in Brissago, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 65% cheaper than Brissago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Brissago is 167% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$27.74 CHF 21.74

-57.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$109 CHF 85.4

-61.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$17.49 CHF 13.71

-40.54%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$5.87 CHF 4.60

-38.50%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$4.81 CHF 3.77

-69.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$4.77 CHF 3.74

-80.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$8.09 CHF 6.34

-62.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$6.14 CHF 4.81

-27.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$2.17 CHF 1.70

-36.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$3.39 CHF 2.66

-45.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$4.24 CHF 3.32

-62.03%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$7.11 CHF 5.58

-63.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$28.31 CHF 22.20

-70.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$35.91 CHF 28.16

-76.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$40.48 CHF 31.73

-72.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$3.48 CHF 2.73

-21.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$2.15 CHF 1.69

-30.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.89 CHF 2.26

-32.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$6.89 CHF 5.40

-69.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$2.24 CHF 1.76

-16.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$2.25 CHF 1.76

-3.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$2.42 CHF 1.90

-55.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$1.10 CHF 0.86

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$11.39 CHF 8.93

-63.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$12.70 CHF 9.96

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.96 CHF 1.53

-14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.33 CHF 1.83

6.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$3.93 CHF 3.08

-86.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$99.0 CHF 77.6

-73.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$8.09 CHF 6.34

-61.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$4.32 CHF 3.39

-43.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$91.7 CHF 71.9

-96.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$2.23 CHF 1.75

-43.50%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$40.6K CHF 31.8K

-25.70%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$57.0K CHF 44.7K

-58.86%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$369 CHF 290

-77.26%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$58.8 CHF 46.09

-62.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$58.1 CHF 45.54

-48.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$87.2 CHF 68.4

-39.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$24.20 CHF 18.97

-79.55%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$3,287 CHF 2,577

-93.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$39.9K CHF 31.3K

-86.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$153 CHF 120

-76.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$68.7 CHF 53.8

-41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$177 CHF 139

-55.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$187 CHF 147

-53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$1,713 CHF 1,343

-42.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$1,491 CHF 1,169

-68.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$2,788 CHF 2,185

-42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$2,495 CHF 1,956

-51.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$12.3K CHF 9,677

-67.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$11.9K CHF 9,357

-44.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.52

353.17%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Brissago: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,713 in Brissago. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $637 – 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

Playa del Carmen vs Brissago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, $3,576 in Brissago – roughly 184% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,364 in Brissago. 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.

Groceries cost about 153% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $109 in Brissago. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Brissago at $3,576. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Playa del Carmen to $3,576 in Brissago. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Brissago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.