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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,553 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,342 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,131 in Brissago, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 64% cheaper than Brissago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Brissago is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$28.28 CHF 22.60

-58.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$109 CHF 87.0

-60.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$16.98 CHF 13.57

-37.28%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$5.84 CHF 4.67

-40.92%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$4.95 CHF 3.96

-69.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$4.78 CHF 3.82

-80.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$8.35 CHF 6.67

-63.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$6.33 CHF 5.06

-27.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$2.20 CHF 1.76

-37.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$3.40 CHF 2.72

-45.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$4.14 CHF 3.31

-61.11%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$7.09 CHF 5.66

-63.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$28.60 CHF 22.86

-71.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$35.43 CHF 28.32

-76.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$41.68 CHF 33.31

-74.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$3.40 CHF 2.72

-22.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$2.17 CHF 1.73

-31.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$2.88 CHF 2.30

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$6.74 CHF 5.39

-68.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$2.23 CHF 1.78

-16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$2.19 CHF 1.75

3.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$2.42 CHF 1.94

-56.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$1.15 CHF 0.92

-5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$11.42 CHF 9.12

-63.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$12.67 CHF 10.13

-18.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.90 CHF 1.52

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$2.31 CHF 1.85

12.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$3.90 CHF 3.11

-86.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$100 CHF 80.3

-73.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$8.23 CHF 6.58

-61.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$4.24 CHF 3.39

-40.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$93.9 CHF 75.1

-96.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$2.20 CHF 1.76

-42.27%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$40.8K CHF 32.6K

-25.51%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$58.1K CHF 46.4K

-59.44%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$366 CHF 292

-77.31%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$59.7 CHF 47.75

-61.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$57.7 CHF 46.14

-48.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$87.9 CHF 70.2

-41.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$24.89 CHF 19.90

-80.19%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$3,384 CHF 2,705

-94.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$40.1K CHF 32.0K

-86.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$154 CHF 123

-75.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$67.8 CHF 54.2

-41.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$173 CHF 138

-53.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$186 CHF 149

-51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$1,725 CHF 1,379

-44.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$1,482 CHF 1,185

-67.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$2,877 CHF 2,300

-42.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$2,508 CHF 2,005

-51.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$17.8K CHF 14.2K

-78.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$12.3K CHF 9,825

-47.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Brissago: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,725 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $638 – 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $3,553 in Brissago – roughly 180% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,330 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 155% 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 $43.00 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 $1,271, than in Brissago at $3,553. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen to $3,553 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.