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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,131 in Buchs.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $4,705 in Buchs.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $6,279 in Buchs.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 59% less than in Buchs, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 6% below, Buchs is 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$24.41 CHF 19.75

-52.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$87.8 CHF 71.0

-46.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$15.70 CHF 12.70

-25.80%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$4.65 CHF 3.77

-12.04%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$3.99 CHF 3.23

-65.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$3.26 CHF 2.64

-74.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$6.22 CHF 5.03

-46.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$5.59 CHF 4.52

23.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$2.06 CHF 1.66

-16.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$4.03 CHF 3.26

-43.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$4.70 CHF 3.80

-62.34%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$7.49 CHF 6.06

-63.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$33.16 CHF 26.83

-72.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$18.51 CHF 14.97

-51.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$33.43 CHF 27.05

-62.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$3.50 CHF 2.83

-13.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-31.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$3.23 CHF 2.61

-34.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$6.98 CHF 5.65

-67.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$1.81 CHF 1.46

10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$2.69 CHF 2.17

-23.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$2.61 CHF 2.11

-54.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.24 CHF 1.00

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$11.24 CHF 9.09

-58.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$13.38 CHF 10.83

-20.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$3.16 CHF 2.56

-48.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$4.00 CHF 3.24

-28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$5.16 CHF 4.18

-88.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$5.56 CHF 4.50

-1.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$3.45 CHF 2.79

7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$60.9 CHF 49.28

-90.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$2.29 CHF 1.86

-32.31%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$43.4K CHF 35.1K

-48.60%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$40.6K CHF 32.9K

-36.14%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$183 CHF 148

-51.36%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$32.10 CHF 25.97

-21.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$69.1 CHF 55.9

-54.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$15.71 CHF 12.71

-67.85%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$620 CHF 501

-63.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$20.9K CHF 16.9K

-79.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$111 CHF 89.5

-57.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$24.98 CHF 20.21

80.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$99.0 CHF 80.1

-17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$175 CHF 141

-47.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$1,827 CHF 1,478

-41.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$1,623 CHF 1,313

-75.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,796 CHF 2,262

-30.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$2,828 CHF 2,288

-53.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$8,717 CHF 7,052

-91.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

1.93

493.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Buchs: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $1,827 in Buchs. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buchs pays 1064% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $88.0 in Buchs for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $568 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 Buchs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Buchs differ by about 142% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $3,131 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1064% lower in Buchs. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,827 in Buchs. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $225 in Playa del Carmen versus $620 in Buchs. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $88.0 in Buchs. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $3,131 in Buchs, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Buchs. 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 Buchs 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 142% less than in Buchs. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.