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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,516 in Buochs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $5,306 in Buochs, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $7,095 in Buochs, rent included.

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

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Buochs is 162% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$30.98 CHF 24.60

-61.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$141 CHF 112

-69.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$15.94 CHF 12.65

-33.19%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.51 CHF 5.17

-47.00%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$5.43 CHF 4.31

-72.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$4.41 CHF 3.50

-78.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$8.58 CHF 6.81

-64.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$7.26 CHF 5.77

-36.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.24 CHF 1.77

-38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$3.65 CHF 2.90

-49.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$4.19 CHF 3.33

-61.58%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$7.72 CHF 6.13

-66.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$28.25 CHF 22.43

-70.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$35.23 CHF 27.97

-76.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$44.18 CHF 35.08

-75.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.78 CHF 3.00

-30.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.30 CHF 1.83

-35.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.98 CHF 2.36

-35.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$6.18 CHF 4.91

-66.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$2.45 CHF 1.95

-24.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$2.41 CHF 1.91

-6.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$2.63 CHF 2.09

-59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.28 CHF 1.02

-14.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$10.88 CHF 8.63

-61.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$13.49 CHF 10.71

-22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.37 CHF 1.88

-27.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.12 CHF 2.48

-16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$3.95 CHF 3.14

-86.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$99.5 CHF 79.0

-72.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$8.21 CHF 6.52

-61.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$4.22 CHF 3.35

-40.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$86.7 CHF 68.8

-96.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.14 CHF 1.70

-40.65%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$39.6K CHF 31.5K

-23.35%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$42.2K CHF 33.5K

-44.13%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$249 CHF 197

-66.62%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$54.7 CHF 43.43

-58.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$56.0 CHF 44.45

-47.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$89.2 CHF 70.8

-42.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$22.07 CHF 17.52

-77.66%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$2,574 CHF 2,044

-92.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$33.8K CHF 26.9K

-84.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$133 CHF 106

-72.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$76.4 CHF 60.6

-47.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$131 CHF 104

-39.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$161 CHF 128

-44.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$1,723 CHF 1,368

-44.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$1,483 CHF 1,177

-67.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$2,788 CHF 2,213

-40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$2,483 CHF 1,972

-50.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$16.0K CHF 12.7K

-75.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$11.6K CHF 9,240

-44.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Buochs: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,723 in Buochs. 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 $141 in Buochs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $659 – 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 Buochs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $3,516 in Buochs – roughly 177% apart. Buochs 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 $5,275 in Buochs. 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.

Public transport costs about 269% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,574 in Buochs. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing 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 Buochs at $3,516. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buochs 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 $3,516 in Buochs. 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, Buochs makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.