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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,439 in Brissago, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,269 in Brissago, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,099 in Brissago, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 62% cheaper than Brissago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Brissago is 149% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$28.99 CHF 23.57

-58.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$805

$125 CHF 102

-62.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$200

$15.90 CHF 12.93

-26.10%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$7.03 CHF 5.71

-41.39%

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

$1.40 MX$23.77

$6.48 CHF 5.27

-78.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.50

$7.16 CHF 5.83

-87.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.5

$9.00 CHF 7.32

-64.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$8.12 CHF 6.61

-12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.48

$2.19 CHF 1.78

-23.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.53

$3.12 CHF 2.53

-31.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.14

$3.37 CHF 2.74

-47.48%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.82

$7.84 CHF 6.37

-64.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$25.38 CHF 20.63

-63.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$29.91 CHF 24.32

-69.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$215

$39.53 CHF 32.14

-68.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$4.06 CHF 3.30

-27.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$2.11 CHF 1.72

-25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.76

$2.71 CHF 2.20

-18.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.14

$4.74 CHF 3.86

-50.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.85

$1.69 CHF 1.37

17.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.62

$2.10 CHF 1.71

-5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.07

$2.34 CHF 1.90

-47.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.58

$1.36 CHF 1.11

-11.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.2

$11.49 CHF 9.34

-59.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$179

$12.43 CHF 10.11

-15.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.74

$2.23 CHF 1.81

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.13

$2.94 CHF 2.39

-5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.24

$4.20 CHF 3.42

-85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$505

$115 CHF 93.4

-74.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$89.0

$8.35 CHF 6.79

-37.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$62.0

$4.64 CHF 3.77

-21.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.3

$110 CHF 89.3

-94.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.13

$2.40 CHF 1.95

-35.83%

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

$22.8K MX$387.3K

$43.4K CHF 35.3K

-47.48%

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

$25.8K MX$438.5K

$40.7K CHF 33.1K

-36.65%

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

$90.7 MX$1,540

$284 CHF 231

-68.11%

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

$25.19 MX$428

$28.87 CHF 23.48

-12.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$57.1 CHF 46.46

-44.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,169

$80.3 CHF 65.3

-14.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$499

$51.5 CHF 41.83

-42.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.6

$24.32 CHF 19.77

-80.02%

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

$226 MX$3,834

$3,193 CHF 2,596

-92.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.2K

$31.9K CHF 25.9K

-86.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$805

$142 CHF 115

-66.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$738

$62.0 CHF 50.4

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,363

$162 CHF 132

-50.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,552

$200 CHF 163

-54.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$1,599 CHF 1,300

-32.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,942

$1,439 CHF 1,170

-71.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$3,039 CHF 2,471

-35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.8K

$2,282 CHF 1,856

-43.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.7K

$18.6K CHF 15.1K

-78.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.9K

$11.4K CHF 9,245

-41.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.46

365.45%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brissago: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,599 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $125 in Brissago. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $587 – 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: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $3,439 in Brissago – roughly 163% apart. Brissago costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $5,158 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 111% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $125 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 $1,305, than in Brissago at $3,439. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $3,439 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.